


The More Things Change

by MiniPeridot



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Feels, Female Reader, First Story Be Patient, Fluff and Angst, Original Character(s), Raoul Silva is Alive, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 13:15:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18638851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniPeridot/pseuds/MiniPeridot
Summary: This is what I wish had happened in SkyfallRaoul has a girlfriend. I like to surprise though so read to find out more details ;)





	1. Who Are You?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Until You Love Me](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/477385) by MissSparrow101. 



> This story’s main character has no provided name, so use:  
> (Y/N)=Your name  
> (L/N)=Your last name  
> Insert whatever you want for these, as well as whatever physical features you want to use. I’ll tell you of any new abbreviations at the start of each chapter they’ll be introduced. Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want this to sorta follow the story of Skyfall, but with a surprise twist that I don't want to spoil. I will not necessarily follow canon to the exact details, but I probably will be remixing some of my favorite scenes and bringing them in at some point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each new chapter will start with a kind of "previously on The More Things Change" where I'll give you the last line, or lines, of the previous chapter as a refresher

The harsh morning sun was softened by the curtains of my bedroom. The alarm clock blared for the third time this morning, and, for the third time, my hand snapped out from under the covers in an almost instinctual way. It patted around on my nightstand as it blindly sought out the snooze button.

When it couldn’t find it, my body rolled over so my eyes could help. As soon as my aching eyes saw the time though, my heart skipped a beat and I frantically got out of bed and ran to my dresser. I had overslept and had to get moving if I was to catch the train on time.

I couldn’t afford to be late today though, not when I had a big presentation to do this morning.

By the time I was dressed, I didn’t even have time to eat as I grabbed my laptop and my bag and ran out the door. Thank God the bus driver was nice. He saw me coming and stopped to let me on.

On the bus, I looked over my presentation on my laptop to make sure I hadn’t lost anything or forgotten anything important I wanted to add.

A whole week I’d spent staying up late to work on this presentation, my coworkers being of little help in getting me the information I’d needed throughout the whole thing.

The train had been more crowded than usual and I felt like someone was watching me on the platform, and later on the train, but I couldn’t pin who or where. I didn’t recognize anyone and every time I thought I figured out who it was, I felt eyes from a different direction. By the time I got off the train, I was certain it was just the guys around me who were forced against me in the crowds. Although, I’m pretty sure some of the bumps and touches of the strangers were not accidents, not that I had any proof.

Thank God the presentation went well. It really helped me get through the mountain of paperwork I had to do, much of which coming from my coworker on maternity leave. I liked her though. She was always nice to me and her husband was a sweetheart. They deserved some time together with their new baby. Can’t quite remember how I ended up getting stuck with 80% of her work though. Not that I could ask my boss to pass off the work to someone else. He isn’t one who responds well to employee complaints.

I was so focused on my work, I ended up going straight through my lunch break with only enough time for a small snack to keep me going the rest of the day.

I clocked out an hour later than normal due to the extra workload, but at least most of it wouldn’t be there tomorrow as a result. I couldn’t wait to get home and soak in a nice, hot bath. I yawned a lot on my way home, and was too lazy to cook by the time I got changed into something comfy.

Mindlessly flipping through channels that night, my exhausted mind was jerked awake when I my phone dinged. I smiled when I saw the name.

_How was your day, babe?_

_It was long. How about you?_

_Great! They bought the pitch! Of course that means I’ll be working later for a while_

_That’s alright babe! We still on for dinner tomorrow?_

_Yeah. See ya then_

I smiled to myself. Sam was the first serious guy in a while. Kind, honest, and very handsome. He’d been so understanding when I’d asked him to take things slow.

Without realizing it, I ended up falling asleep on the couch. Thankfully, today went a lot better than the day before. Sure Jane came by and dumped a bunch of work on my desk just before lunch, but it turned out to not be too bad. I actually managed to clock out early.

I spent hours pampering myself and trying on dresses until I found the right one. A friend of mine had seen him at a jewelry store, so a small part of me was hoping he’d propose soon.

I made sure to leave early to dinner. As I should’ve expected, I ended up at the restaurant early and ended up getting the table while I waited for Sam.

Time clicked by, and I passed the time with some emails and a few bread rolls. I checked my watch and realized he was 30 minutes late. He was never late! Where was he?! I started to get worried and texted him.

_Babe? Where are you?_

_Sorry, stuck at work_

_Don’t think I’ll make it to dinner_

My heart sank. Though, I didn’t blame him, this wasn’t the first time his work kept him late. He’d been stuck on layover on some of his business trips before. Even though I understood, it didn’t stop the hurt. This was the first time he didn’t warn me in advance though. I told him it was fine and decided to go. The cab ride back was depressing.

At a stop light though, I got a text from an unknown number.

_You aren’t actually buying that are you?_

_"_ What the hell?”

_I’m sorry. I think you have the wrong number_

_No. I don’t. (Y/N L/N)_

My heart was pounding. Who the hell was this?

_I’m sorry, do I know you?_

There was a lengthy pause before I got a reply.

_He’s not at work you know_

_What are you talking about? Who are you? How did you get my number?_

An address and a phone number popped up on my phone next.

_If you don’t believe me, see for yourself_

_Who Are You?!_

They stopped answering. I had no idea what to do with this information. I shook it off and put my phone away. Whoever this creep was, I had no reason to listen.

I didn’t hear from the unknown caller on my phone again. Sam surprised me at work the next day with flowers and took me out to lunch. He was very apologetic and told me all about the work he’d been caught up with.

Before he left, he offered to continue making it up to me later tonight. I decided to accept. It’d been a while since we’d fooled around.

He was waiting in my office building parking lot to drive me back to his place when I got off work. We had a lovely dinner, and Sam had spared no effort in making it magical. Rose petals, candles, and romantic music.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt heavy, but sated. I felt around for Sam, but found his spot on the bed next to me was growing cold. My ears told me he was in the shower.

I got up and dressed, going to the kitchen to make us some breakfast. We were going to spend a whole romantic day together.

There was a high pitched ding from out of nowhere. After a minute or two of searching, I realized it was his computer, sitting on the table. The screen was black, with simple, white letters reading:

_You should’ve listened to me_

“What the hell-?”

_Now you’ve forced my hand_

Suddenly, a video pops up. It was Sam and a girl I didn’t recognize in his bed. I stood frozen for a moment as they started to undress. Then I quickly slammed it shut. He’s had girlfriends before. Whatever this is, it’s not gonna work. “Ridiculous! Sam loves me!”

I go back to the kitchen and finish making breakfast. Sam soon joined me and we sat down to eat. His bright smile quickly helping me forget the strange messages. So much so that I even forgot to tell him that someone might have hacked his computer.

Sam offered to clean up from breakfast while I showered. I got to the bedroom and my phone went off. Checking it, there was another message from the mysterious creep.

_I really didn’t want to do this to you, but you have left me no choice_

A video popped up.

I was about to block this number when the link opened by itself. “What the hell? I didn’t-” My breath caught in my throat and I felt the blood drain from my face. They were pictures and video, of me, naked. I never sent Sam any naked photos and, in many of them, I was asleep. The videos were of Sam and I together, still images of me, and what appeared to be other girls, all timestamped, and screenshots of what seemed to be text conversations with his friends, about the photos and videos.

I was shaking. I couldn’t breathe. The way he was talking about me… a video popped up. It was timestamped the night of our dinner date, and seemed to be from Sam’s computer, pointing at him and another woman on the couch. I saw the timestamp read about the time I texted him, and watch him answer without stopping with this other girl.

I stumbled until I was half-sitting in the bed, tears in my eyes. Something buzzed under the blankets, and it turned out to be Sam’s phone. It was several messages actually, all of which were different women. 1 sent pictures, and all of the messages suggested a romantic relationship, including the past messages with them.

The tears were flowing freely now. I couldn’t believe it. God he had been so sweet, but turned out to be a monster. I was just another body to him. He’d _lied_  to me! He’d taken _p_ _ictures_ of me! Showed me off to his friends behind my back and talked about me like I was a piece of meat!

I heard Sam call from the other room, “you planning on taking that shower or what babe?”

A lot of emotions flooded my brain. Anger, despair, betrayal. I wanted to curl into a ball and punch him in his stupid face, but was too conflicted to figure out what to do.

I finally pulled myself together, grabbing my things and storming out into the main area. “You BASTARD!!”

“What? What are you-?”

“SHUT UP! How DARE you! How many women are you seeing?! How many times did you send your friends _pictures_ of me?! God I’ve never felt more violated in my LIFE!”

“Babe! Hold on! Please calm down! Whatever you heard, I can explain!”

I threw his phone at him, “forget it,  _jerk_! We’re THROUGH!” I stormed out and ran downstairs and outside as fast as I could, ignoring his shouts behind me as he tried to get me to come back.

Thankfully, I got a cab quickly and managed to get in before Sam could reach me. I turn to the driver, “could you lock the doors? Please?!” He shrugs and locks it just in time. Sam hit the side of the car, hitting the glass, “Come on babe! Please! Let me explain!”

I gave the driver my address. “There’s an extra 5 in it for you if you go now and get me there in under 10 minutes.” He nodded, pulling into traffic and heading for my apartment. It took all my strength to not break down into tears on the ride over.

When we reached my apartment, I gave him his pay, with the promised 5, and ran up to my place, locking the door. I didn’t get any farther than that though, sliding down the door in tears. God I had the worst luck with love! Why do I always end up dating assholes?! I debated just giving up on love completely. Every time I’ve ever fallen in love, I just ended up heartbroken...


	2. Mr. Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting over a breakup is never easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a song I want you guys to play later in the chapter, in the background of course. Here’s the link, if you’re near a computer, play it when the song’s name is mentioned.  
> https://youtu.be/scNo8JvWQNs  
> ***Why do I always end up dating assholes?! I debated just giving up on love completely. Every time I’ve ever fallen in love, I just ended up heartbroken...***

At some point, Sam had caught up with me and banged on my door for a while, trying to get me to open it and talk to him. It was all a blur though. I have vague memories of screaming at him to go away, but I don’t remember the words I used, or what he said in response, nor do I remember when he finally left.

The last thing I clearly remember from that night, was sitting on the shower floor naked, crying into my arms with a major headache as I let the hot water wash that jerk from my mind and body.

The next few days passed in a blur, a bleak, tear-filled blur. I had reached what was probably the lowest point I’d ever been in my life. I skipped work a few times and just spent those days in bed doing absolutely nothing. I know I eventually went to work, and probably did a bunch of menial paperwork like usual, but I don’t recall any of what was on the documents I worked on.

My friends at work helped make sure I ate, even sending take out orders to my place that were in my name and paid for by an unknown ‘friend’, but I couldn’t figure out which one it was or get any of them to admit it. When I thanked them for it, they clearly had been practicing because they pretended not to know what I was talking about. I had asked them not to bother but they worry, so I get it if they want to pretend they don’t know what I’m talking about.

Almost three weeks after breaking up with Sam, my friends at work came over to my cubicle. I didn’t even hear them approach, so Vivian caught me off-guard when she spoke, “Hey! Earth to (Y/N)!” “Ah! Viv! Don’t scare me like that!” She just grinned, “Good, you can still hear. Come on, get your stuff.”

“What? W-Why?”

“What do you mean ‘why’? Get your stuff! We’re having a girl’s night and you’re  _ definitely _  coming with!”

“Viv. I appreciate it, but I’m really  _ not _  in the mood for-“

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear, see you don’t get a say in this. You need to find a new man, or at least enough booze to forget about Sam, so you’re coming with and that’s  _ final _ !” She stamped her foot against the floor for emphasis. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her because she could Not pull off threatening. She could be a force to be reckoned with, but, she couldn’t pull off  _ looking _  threatening.

Not an hour later, the girls had gotten me back to my apartment and were sitting around my bedroom while I tried on dresses. They had clearly been planning this for a while since they’d brought their own outfits with them to work and changed when we first got back to my place.

I came out of the bathroom in dress number 4 and found that Alison was the only one there, “Where’d Viv go?” She looks up from her phone and smiles, “Just stepped into the other room to take a call hon. By the way, I think that’s the winner right there! Can’t go wrong in a little black dress after all” I sigh, getting on my shoes before Alison and I stepped out to join Viv in the main area.

She looks up when we enter, “Hey! You look great!! Got some bags under the eyes, but it’ll be dark, no one will see. So what’s with this build up of mail here?”

Every other night I went home since I broke up with Sam, I’d find some package there waiting, but I never opened them. The first few I saw the labels said they were from Sam, so I hadn’t looked at any of the rest of them, “Oh, those are all ‘please forgive me for being a dick’ presents from Sam. I was gonna throw them out, but I don’t really wanna touch anything he’s touched”

Alison heads over and looks over the labels, “Honey, some of these aren’t-” “Tell her later!” Vivian interjects, “We gotta get her to the club before she thinks she can change her mind. Come on!”

Vivian herds Alison and me out the door before either of us can protest, barely giving me time to lock my door.

Twenty minutes later, we’re at a nearby club and Alison is at the bar, ordering our drinks, while Vivian and I stand at one of the high tables.

The night was fairly boring to me. The girls tried so hard to get me on the dance floor and to dance with some of the guys. There were a lot of really cute ones here tonight, but it wasn’t the same as it once was. I couldn’t just trust a pretty face or kind words anymore, Sam, and the other jerks before him, had ruined men for me. At this point, I’d rather have a guy who just doesn’t care. At least he’d be an  _ honest  _ ass, rather than lying about it to my face.

Vivian and Alison were out on the dance floor. Alison had found a guy earlier in the evening and they were dancing really close to each other now. Vivian was dancing and a bunch of guys were eyeing her, but none had made a move to speak to her yet.

I sighed, finishing off my drink, “Maybe I’ll just get a cab and apologize to them later. I’m just not ready for this.”

As I went to the bar to pay for my drinks, some guy who was leaving the counter bumped into me, spilling his drink all over me. One of the ice cubes even went in my dress, and I let out a little squeak, frantically getting it out and throwing it away. I almost cried. I just wanted to go home and curl up on the couch.

“Hey, are you alright there?” I look up and see a pretty good-looking guy staring at me with concern, “Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you were behind me, and… Sorry about the dress. If you’d like, I’ll pay the cost to get it cleaned.”

“No. Thank you, but… it’s fine.” I push past him, not looking back as I ask the bartender for my tab. The guy I bumped into comes up behind me, “Well… isn’t there anything I can do to apologize? You look like you’ve had a rough time and it wouldn’t sit right with me to know I made a pretty lady’s day any worse.” There was something suggestive in his tone when he was making his little offer, and I was not in the mood. I really don’t think that rebound sex is what I need right now.

Heaving a sigh, I set my chin on my hand, my elbow on the counter, “No, please don’t bother.”

“...You want to talk about it?”

“No”

“...Will you give me a hint?”

“...Men…”

He furrows his brow, then the realization hits, “Ooohh, I see…” He huffed, “I can’t help but wonder what the other chick looks like if he’d ditch a girl like you for her.” I shoot him a nasty look for that and his hands go up in a kind of surrender, “Oh! Uh, I mean-I-I mean I-I didn’t mean it like  _ that _  I just meant-”

“Just stop.”

Groaning, he finally walks away, looking almost annoyed about my total lack of interest, and the bartender brings my bill. I drop my money down and leave to grab a cab. Alison and Vivian catch me outside, “Hey wait! Where are you going?”

“Oh, uh… Home. Look, thanks for trying girls but… this isn’t working. The guys here are just making me feel worse.”

“Oh come on! You can’t quit! Mr. Right could be just inside”

“Yeah, come on!”

I sigh, “I’m sorry, but, I already know who Mr. Right is, and… he’s not in there girls… I-... He’s gone, and… he’s not coming back.” A cab pulls up and drops off someone. As I’m going to get in, Vivian grabs my shoulder, “Okay, at least let me drive you home then. No reason to pay for a cab when I could take you.” I nod, “Okay. Thanks Viv.”

Once she dropped me off, Vivian went back to the club, and I took off my heels before climbing the stairs to my apartment. Sluggishly dragging my feet the whole way up until I could slip into my room.

I didn’t even bother showering. Just changed into the first comfy clothes my hands grabbed and slipped under the covers.

Much to my dismay, sleep did not come quickly or easily. I opened my phone and set it out to play one of my playlists to help me sleep, set to turn off in about an hour and a half.

As I drifted off to sleep to the music, one song in particular came on that reminded me of the girls’ comment earlier about ‘Mr. Right’. Someone to Watch Over Me… I was listening to it the day I met him, and many times after. I was not awake long enough to cry over it, but fond memories set to that tune invaded my dreams that night.

The next morning, I woke up later than usual but didn’t feel like getting out of bed yet. It was my day off so I decided to turn off my alarm and go back to sleep. However, even after tossing and turning for a while, it wasn’t happening, so I heaved a sigh and got up to make breakfast.

When I stepped out, I found the mail still on the table and recall our broken conversation from last night. Feeling like I had nothing better to do aside from crying, I decided to finally go through it and, at the very least, throw out the stuff from Sam.

The pile was mostly letters and only two packages were from Sam, although a lot of the letters were his. After throwing out his stuff, it was mostly bills and junk mail, except for one.

There was a small package with only my name and address handwritten on the label. No return address or anything. Taking a chance, I cut it open and find a candy I hadn’t seen in years. It used to be one of my all-time favorites and I used to burn through a pack this size in about half a day.

At least, that’s how it used to be. An old boyfriend used to send them to me all the time when he had to be away, and would always bring them when he came to visit, but, I couldn’t enjoy them anymore without remembering how heartbreaking it was when he’d stopped calling me out of nowhere.

I could feel the tears pricking at my eyes and my chest felt tight. I don’t know who thought this was a good idea but I can’t afford to be crying over two exes right now. Without thinking, I threw them straight into the trash and went to take a shower. I’d have breakfast after I’d cleared my head.

I felt much better when I came out of the shower and changed into some clean clothes. I was rubbing a towel over my hair as I walked to the kitchen, when a man’s calm, almost flat voice broke the silence,

“Hello (Y/N)”

It scared me right out of my skin, and I let out a scream.


	3. Did You Miss Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you made bets on who was in her apartment after chapter 2, you're about to collect, or pay out. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***“Hello (Y/N)”  
> It scared me right out of my skin, and I let out a scream.***

I looked around a moment until I found the source of the voice. There was a guy, standing in my kitchen with his back to me, and he appeared to be making himself a cup of coffee.

Since I didn’t live in the safest neighborhood, my dad has given me a small gun a long time ago. Usually, I didn’t need it, but if this didn’t justify getting it, I don’t know what would. I took a few, tentative steps back towards the cabinet where I kept it in, but his voice froze me in my tracks,

“It’s not there, (Y/N).”

To my horror, he lifted his hand to show me that he had it, held by the barrel. He set it gently down on the counter. It was eerie how calm he was too. Didn’t have to turn to see where I had been going. How did he even know where I hid that? Nevermind how he’d known it even existed!

I swallowed a lump in my throat, “Who are you? What do you want? How did you even get  _ in  _ here?” Much to my regret, my voice and body shook the whole time.

He let out a little laugh, answering with nothing more than a slight turn of his head, “Ha ha! You already know who I am darling. Besides, I only want to talk… Do you still take sugar in your coffee? Or did you finally manage to wean yourself to just cream?”

I stared at his back, dumbstruck. I hadn’t had sugar in my coffee in over two years. Already know him? ...I had to admit there was something familiar about his voice, but I couldn’t place it just yet. Something deep in my brain was trying to scream an answer to the rest of me, but I couldn’t make out what it was yet…

I took a deep breath, “Just cream… You still haven’t told me how you got in!”

I could hear the smile in his voice as he chuckled softly, “Easy. You gave me a key.” Well, now I was  _ Really _ confused. I quickly grabbed my cell from the couch to call the police, but when he turned around to bring me the coffee he’d made, I dropped the phone, shaking all over.

“That’s… Not possible… Y-You…” my voice failed me. He looked exactly like an old boyfriend of mine from years ago.

Well, not exactly. The face was his, though he’d aged a bit and seemed to be a little more tanned than last time. He’d dyed his brown hair blonde since I’d last seen him, and he was dressed a lot nicer. His voice though,... that was one hundred percent  _ Him _ !

He just smiled at me, “Hello, darling. Did you miss me?” 

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight and in pain. I held my chest, gasping for breath. Meanwhile, his face became twisted with concern and he set the coffee cups down, rushing over and sitting me in a chair, pushing my head between my legs.

It took a few minutes for the panic and shaking to die down and for me to regain control of my breathing again. When I did, I could hear him speaking in a soft voice, one I remember used to make me feel like nothing in the world could hurt me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit, throw, kick, and even bite him. He left me out of nowhere without so much as a goodbye text, and now he just shows up out of the woodworks like it never happened?! Like he hadn’t abandoned me!!

But I didn’t do any of that, instead, I just cried. Why was my life so fucked up?! I couldn’t find a single decent guy before or after him, and he, the one decent guy in my life, shows up after six years and acts like he was only gone for the weekend?!

He straightened me up and wrapped his arms around me. Once I realized he was hugging me and trying to console me, I tried to pry him off.

“No. Please, let go. I-I don’t-...” he didn’t let go as I squirmed in his arms and I finally let it out. I hit him as best I could with the limited movement I had. I kicked, I screamed, I yelled at him about everything I was feeling. How he’d ruined my life when he had abandoned me. How he had  _ no right _ to show up out of nowhere like this! How it couldn’t possibly be him.

He didn’t let go though. Just sat there and took it. The biggest visible reaction I got out of him was when I managed to knee him in the crotch, but he’d just grunted and inhaled sharply, his whole body tensing around me. That just made me madder though. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Getting defensive? Begging forgiveness? ...Nothing…

In my shouting, I eventually found myself repeating things I’d already yelled at him for so I started yelling about other things, like how long I’d spent crying over him, how I’d considered he might be dead for a long while.

“I MOURNED YOU! AND YOU SHOW UP OUT OF NOWHERE IN YOUR FANCY SUIT AND YOUR STUPID HAIR! WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DYE IT ANYWAY?! DON’T LAUGH YOU ASSHOLE, I’M MAD AT YOU!!”

I’m not sure how long I continued, but I finally ran out of energy for it all and finally let myself just sit in his arms, my eyes too sore to make any more tears as I leaned against him.

He started rubbing my back, his voice soft, like if he spoke too loudly he might break me, “You are right. What I did to you was wrong, but…  _ Please _ , please believe that it was not my choice… I can, and will, explain everything, but, first, I think you should eat something. Is that alright?”

I groaned. I wanted my answers now, but I guess, if I was eating, that might keep me from interrupting him and making this take longer than it has to, so, sniffling, I nod, “Fine.”

He slowly stands, and offers me his hand to help me up. I smack it away and get up on my own. He backs off and goes to heat up the coffee, putting down a breakfast sandwich in front of me after he reheats it.

He stood on the other side of the counter, watching me intently until I’d started eating before he spoke.

First, he cleared his throat. “You remember that I worked for British Intelligence, operating in a base at Hong Kong?” Curtly, I nod, pushing down some old memories of listening to stories and watching him hacking the cameras at his office so he and I could watch some pranks he’d set up unfold on his colleagues.

He took a deep breath, “Well, I… got sloppy, and, I got into a lot of trouble…”

I narrowed my eyes. He usually wasn’t this vague unless it was about the specifics of where he had to go next, who he was dealing with, etc.

He sighed, “I was… captured, and held prisoner for the information I had stolen.”

My mouth had gone dry, but I bit my tongue and listened.

“I don’t know exactly how long I was there love, but it felt like an eternity. I wanted to get out. I wanted to find you and hold you again, but I couldn’t… No one came for me! ...When I finally got out, I had to go into hiding… As far as anyone, including my boss, is concerned, Tiago Rodriguez is  _ dead _ !”

This brought up a lot of concerns now. Did this make him some kind of wanted man? Why didn’t anyone from his work go and help him? Why didn’t he go back to his boss and get answers? Why is he keeping this a secret from them?

He smiled softly, “So, in short, that’s why I have this, as you put it, ‘stupid hair’. To help with the lie ...With no job, and no money… I had to spend every day since my escape, trying to find my way back to you again and figure out how to say I was sorry…”

I sat there, dumbstruck, as I sorted out my thoughts, “...Why do you want them to think you’re dead?...”

His features hardened for a moment, but only a moment before they softened into sadness, “Because, those who held me may come looking for me again, and because my boss did not even bother to send help. She left me there to rot! So she does not deserve to count me among her allies.”

We sat in silence for a while. I couldn’t even finish my food or coffee. There was too much to process. After all, my ex had just come into my home and decided to tell me that someone in the world wants him dead, so he’s pretending to be dead. He had never struck me as a bad guy, just a guy working a very dangerous job… Honestly, that had been one of the more exciting things about him. Knowing he lived such a dangerous life.

I decided I needed more information before kicking a wanted man to the curb, ”So… if Tiago is dead… who are you?”

He smiled softly, “Raoul Silva…”

“Raoul Silva… Raoul Silva…” I tested it a few times. See if I liked how it sounded.

“...Do you like it?” There was a smile at the corner of his lip. Not like he’d completely change it if I didn’t like it, but a look I knew meant that he valued my opinion of things.

I thought about it a little more, testing each part on its own, then looking up at his expectant gaze. I looked at his hair and huffed, shaking my head, “I don’t know where you got it from, but, somehow... it suits you.”


	4. Let's Play a Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, the boy is finally in the story and back in her life. Obviously, he wouldn't tell her what really happened right when he gets home. He's such a lovable, cocky little bastard isn't he? XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***“I don’t know where you got it from, but, somehow... it suits you.”***

He grins at me and I almost laugh. For a moment, it felt like one of our old times, watching some prank he’d set up unfold on an unsuspecting colleague. I’d tell him he was an enormous child, and he’d call me out, reminding me that I loved his pranks.

There were still a lot of questions and I pick at my food lazily as I try to sort out my thoughts. I finally speak, sighing, you know we can’t go back, right?”

He pauses, looking at me and furrowing his brow as he tries to follow my thoughts, “What do you mean?”

“You can’t just show up and expect me to just be able to pick up where we left off… Six years is a lot of time to be apart, and we’ve both changed in that time. We can’t act like nothing’s changed.”

He sighs, and thinks for a moment. I can tell he is annoyed, but more so with the fact that I am right. He had probably just been quietly hoping I’d just be so happy to see him that I’d overlook that fact.

Finally, he speaks, “then, how about a game?”

“A game?... What sort of game?” I’ve always been a sucker for his games. They were usually more like bets and often came with a fun challenge, mental or physical. There wasn’t a single game he’d suggested before that I didn’t end up loving.

He grins. I think he knows he has my full attention, “You give me seven days where we pretend we never stopped dating. In that time, you give me the chance to show you that I am still the man you once knew. If, at the end of those seven days, you decide you no longer love me or that I have changed too much for you to love me anymore… Then, I will leave… What do you say?”

I think for a moment. It’s true that, no matter how mad at him I’ve been for leaving, I still missed him and he did give a reason that makes a lot more sense than him just deciding he was done with me, not that it made me any less mad at him… “I need more time to decide if I want to play this game Tiago… Will you give me that time?”

He tenses a little at the name, but closes his eyes and nods. “Alright. Please call me when you have made a decision.”

He gets up to leave, and I realize something, as he reaches the door, “Wait! Do you still have the same number you used to?”

He huffs, biting his lip a moment, “I Uhh…No, but don’t worry, you already have the new one.”

“What? No I don’t, you haven’t given-!”

“Oh, (Y/N).” Now he speaks in this mocking pitiful tone that immediately annoys the crap out of me. “Be honest, who else do you know that would be able to hack your phone, Sam’s, his laptop, and all of his social media accounts?”

It quickly clicks into place, the unknown number that exposed Sam’s cheating. It was  _ him _ ! “Wait! YOU DID THAT?!” Oh, now I’m pissed!

His face hardens. “Of  _ course _ I did! If he’d turned out to be as honest as you took him to be, I would’ve left you be. But he wasn’t, and I could  _ not _ allow a man like that to take advantage of you... You deserve better.” He closes the door rather hard as he leaves my apartment and I am left sitting there, dumbstruck.

I go to clear my plate and cup and notice the candy was back out on the counter. Tiago must have been the one who sent them… But I don’t think I’m ready to eat them yet.

I spent the next few days sorting out how I felt about all this. Never mind how I felt about him hacking my phone and Sam’s… Then again, no matter how much it had hurt me to find out, I’m glad that I’m no longer one of the girls he thought he could use. In his own way, Tiago was just trying to help me...

The rest of my time was spent at work or contemplating whether I even wanted to try out Tiago-no, Raoul’s, little game. I had seriously missed him in the time he’d been gone, but, now that I know he’s alive, I’m not sure what to think…

My friends checked on me regularly, and, a few times, Sam had tried to call or come by the talk to me, but his timing was terrible so I was always able to have the door locked when he got to my apartment.

Waking up on the fifth morning since Tiag-...Raoul, had shown up at my apartment, I finally had my answer. I’d edited the contact on my phone so he was no longer an unknown number a few days ago, and decided to call him.

He answers just as the second ring starts, “(Y/N)? Am I correct to assume that you’re calling because you have made a decision?” Is it my imagination, or does he sound… scared?

I take a deep breath. “Yes, Raoul, I have… We can try your game.”

I could hear his smile from over the phone, “Truly?! That’s wonderful darling! Thank you! You-”

“Hold on! I… do have a condition…”

“...Oh…” he clears his throat, “Of course dear. What is it?”

“Sex is off the table.”

There’s a moment of quiet on the other end and I’m quite sure he’s more than a little disappointed. Finally, he answers, “very well. If that’s what you want, I can respect that. Would you like to start tonight? Over dinner?”

I smile to myself. “Sure. I’ll see you tonight. Let me know the time so I can get changed after work.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Have a good day… Raoul.” Using this new name of his is still very weird. With that, I hang up and get ready for work.

My day goes by in a bit of a blur. I cannot stop thinking about my date tonight. Even after six years, the man still gives me butterflies in my stomach just at the thought of him.

Vivian and Alison pop up around lunch time, sneaking up on me, “So what’s his name?” I jump, dropping my drink with a little squeal, “Viv! Seriously, you need a bell or something!”

“Don’t dodge the question! Who is he?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re in a considerably better mood today. You’ve been better lately, but you’re especially better today. That means you’ve got yourself a new man! Now  _ spill _ !”

I groan. She could see right through me, but, he was trying to operate under a new name… trying to hide. What name am I supposed to give?... Should I give any?

“That’s none of your business,... but there is a man… and a date.”

They squeal and grin. “Oh?”

“Wanna tell us about him?”

“Nooo”

“Oh come ooon. Pleeeease?”

Dammit! Alison is really good at begging. As I carefully plan my answer, my mind drifted back to when we used to date, “Blond, strong… handsome… intelligent… attentive… a great cook…”

I realized where my mind was heading to and that they were staring so I clear my throat, “There. Happy?”

They grin in an almost evil way, “Oh, yes!” “You’ve told us more than we were hoping to get.”

I groan softly, but they’re kind enough to drop it for the remainder of lunch. On our way back to our desks though, they resume their pestering for a name and a photo of him.

To which, I give them nothing. They didn’t quit though until the boss walked by to ask if they were still on a lunch break. When they answered no, he told them to return to work.

Sometime between lunch and quitting time, I get a text from Raoul about dinner;

_ I’ll be over around 7 to pick you up tonight, okay? _

I smile.  _ Sounds good. I’ll see you then. What’s the dress code? _

_ Dress up darling. You’re going to love it _

I chuckle. Figures he’d pick someplace nice for a ‘first date’.

After work, I take my time going through my wardrobe to figure out what I’d be wearing. I decide against any of my older dresses that I’d had when we were still dating. This is about moving forward and getting to know one another again, so a reminder of our past together feels counterproductive.

Finally, I settle on a black dress that sports white bands which emphasize my figure, and pairing it with some heels that are taller than most of my other pairs. I just finish putting on my earrings and makeup when I get a text.

It was Raoul.

_ I’m almost to your apartment. I’ll be there soon _

I smile and look over myself once more before heading outside to wait for him. I couldn’t help but be a little excited.

When the elevator opens to the lobby though, I freeze in the elevator doorway. Staring down at me, seemingly just as surprised to see me as I him, is Sam.

I try to back up and close the elevator on him but he stops the doors and attempts to join me, “Wait! (Y/N)! Please!” Quickly, I slip past him and walk briskly through the lobby, trying to ignore him. I’d finally started to get over him and he had the nerve to show up here?!

“Go  _ away _ , Sam!”

“Will you just  _ listen _ to me for a minute?!”

“I’d really rather  _ not _ !”

He picks up the pace and steps in front of me as I finally get out of the building, “Please! I-I came here to apologize.”

“Apologize?! You think you can fix what you did with an  _ apology _ ?!”

“No! I mean Yes! I mean… Look… I-I did a  _ lot _ of thinking when you left. I broke up with the other girls (Y/N)! All of ‘em! I miss having you in my bed. Ju-Just give me another chance, okay? I’ll prove myself, you’ll see!”

God I wanted to smack him. He missed me in his  _ bed _ ?! Of  _ course _ . He just missed having sex!

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, “No, Sam. We’re done!... Please leave.”

I go to step around him and he grabs my arm, “What the-?”

“What exactly is your problem?! I’ve been trying to apologize and get you back for over a month and you won’t even  _ listen _ ! You know what your problem is? You act like you’re  _ so _ perfect! Everyone makes mistakes, but I make one and you’re running out the door and slamming it in my face!”

He opens his mouth to say more, his grip on me tightening as I try to pull out of it, when suddenly, it’s no longer there, and neither is he.

I blink a few times and try to figure out what just happened. Sam is on the ground, holding his face and complaining about something. There’s blood on the ground too. When I turn my head towards the street, Raoul is standing there, looking pissed.

He turns to me and his expression softens, “Are you alright, darling?”

“Uh, y-yeah, I… Did you just…?” I motion to Sam and his gaze follows mine, “Of course. He was bothering you.”

I open my mouth again, but am cut off by Sam, “What the Hell?! (Y/N)? Who the fuck is this guy?!”

“ _Don’t talk to her!_ You have _no_ _right_!” Raoul stepped forward, looking annoyed.

“Who are  _ you _ to decide that,  _ dick _ ?!” Sam steps up and gets in Raoul’s face.

This is heading for a fight.


	5. Day 1: I Said No!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soooo sorry guys! Finals, then moving home for the summer, then getting a job and, unfortunately, it's all been late night shifts and that's when I usually do my writing, so, this has taken waaay too long! But, I'm here now, so, here ya go. Hopefully, updates will be more frequent after this, but don't count on it XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***This is heading for a fight.***

As the men stare each other down, my first instinct is to try and talk them out of a fight. Sam works out a  _ lot _ , and I really just don’t want to give him the satisfaction of even paying him any attention. Not to mention I don’t want him breaking Raoul’s face  _ right _ before dinner.

It’s not like Raoul doesn’t know how to fight. Back at his old job for MI6, he  _ did  _ have to stay in shape, though not to the same degree as the field agents. However, that was six years ago, and he was apparently held captive for a big chunk of that time.

However, my words of protest fall on  _ two  _ pairs of deaf ears. Sam swings first, and my breath catches in my throat. Luckily, Raoul slides out of the way in an unbelievably graceful manner for his size.

I stare in awe as he cockily grasps his hands behind his back while Sam continues to swing at him wildly. Raoul watches him with a look of amused boredom.

My eyes widen as I watch him dance around, Sam getting more and more agitated with each passing second. After a few minutes, I couldn’t suppress a giggle at how sweaty and annoyed Sam was. Raoul grins with false innocence as Sam screams at him, “HOLD STILL AND FIGHT ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!!”

Chuckling, an odd glint appears in Raoul’s eyes that I’ve never seen before. His voice is deep and full of humor. “If you insist.”

As Sam charges him, Raoul does not move this time, but rather, catches his hand, and punches Sam in the stomach.  _ Hard _ . Sam doubles over, wheezing and coughing as Raoul releases his hand.

I watch Sam in shock. Is Raoul stronger since we last went out? When I look back at Raoul’s face, he is smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes and the dark glint is gone, as though it was never there in the first place. Perhaps I just imagined it.

He sees me watching him and smiles brightly, stepping over Sam. He exaggerates the movement, almost stumbling from the effort of keeping his legs as far away from Sam’s body as possible during the step. I can’t help a little giggle as he walks over to me.

Smiling down at me, he places his hand on my back and turns me to his car. As we walk, his hand slides down to my lower back, then to my hip, “your hand’s a little low there mister” I warn him. I give him a playful stink eye as he gives an exaggerated groan, but he pulls his hand away anyway.

“My apologies.” Although he sounded more disappointed than apologetic, probably over being caught.

——————————————

The restaurant was lovely. It was one of those restaurants people saved for special occasions because the food was so expensive. Good though. I’d eaten here a few times in my life.

Apparently he’d managed to swing a good table, with a view of the city out the large window nearby. The lights in the restaurant were dimmed, most of the tables having a candle in the middle for atmosphere, but the lack of overhead lights made the view that much nicer.

The dinner started a bit awkwardly. I couldn’t really ask him what was new in his life or what he’d been doing as that would likely lead back to his imprisonment. If I was being honest, the thought made me sick inside, and my chest feel tight. No matter the circumstances, I wouldn’t wish it on him in a million years.

We order our drinks first. Conversation rather stagnant and the tension palpable. Raoul eyes me from across the table and I quickly hide behind my menu.

I thought I’d give him a chance since I still have feelings for him but… this is weird, especially considering the story he told me. Knowing he was tortured makes it hard to look at him without thinking about it. Not to mention starting over with an ex who’s seen you naked is pretty damn awkward.

I try to focus on the menu, but my mind is jumping between different conversation topics. Obviously I don’t want to ask about his love life, since he’s here with me. I know from when we last dated that he doesn’t have any family, so that’s out.

My train of anxious thought is interrupted by the waiter returning with our drinks. I put my menu down and thank him as he sets mine in front of me. I don’t really drink. I’ll have something now and then with dinner or on a special occasion, but I’m not a heavy drinker. In spite of knowing this, Raoul has ordered us two glasses of wine… namely, one I’d found to be a favorite.

As the waiter leaves, I attempt to hide behind my menu again, only to be caught by Raoul’s question.

“Are you alright?”

“Umm. Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

Based on his expression, he’s not buying it. He nods softly, looking back at me with concern. I could swear there is a little fear in his eyes, but I must be imagining it since it is gone within seconds and Tiago was never afraid of anything.

He smiles at me, “I realize that moving on is hard, nevermind starting over, but I don’t want to give up on what we had.” He looks up at me with so much hope and fear in his eyes that the whole world just melts away. “It was the greatest thing in my life, and, provided you are willing, I would like to have that again…”

He gently holds my hand, as though if he held it just a hair tighter, I’d break and float off like he’d only dreamed me. It was as though not a thing on Earth could break this man faster than a single, harsh word from my lips.

My chest felt tight and I could almost swear my eyes were wetter than a moment ago. I am starting to remember why it had hurt me so much when he’d stopped calling all those years ago.

I take a deep breath, “I’m sorry, for… hiding behind my menu…” That sounded way more embarrassing out loud than it had in my head.

As I should have expected, he chuckles at that, kissing my hand. “It is alright. I actually find it flattering that I can make you as nervous as I did on our first date. You almost didn’t come out from behind it that night!” His grin was broad and cheeky. He apparently didn’t forget that I’d done this same stupid thing back then to avoid conversation. Of course, back then, it was for a  _ completely  _ different reason, but still…

I sigh, and nod in embarrassment, “yeah, I remember… I also remember that you’re just as cocky as you were back then.”

To this, he arches his eyebrow in defiance, “(y/n), we have discussed this. It is not ‘cocky’, when you can back it up, and I have every reason to be confident tonight.” Emphasizing his point with a wink, he takes a sip of his wine.

I flatten my expression and give him a disapproving look. “Oh really? How am I to just believe that it’s not simply false confidence set in place to hide your nervousness?”

He straightens his back and gently sets down his glass, far more carefully than necessary. “Because you know as well as I, that you are not entirely over me yet. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have given me a second chance. You’ve had far too many disappointing relationships to warrant being here tonight if you didn’t at least have some lingering feelings for me that might make this work out.”

My own skepticism is ruined by that statement. He wasn’t wrong. I was ready to just give up on love and marriage after he exposed Sam. Even before Raoul, I’d felt like a magnet for assholes who didn’t really care. Most of them never even made it to bed before I’d figure them out.

Raoul, or Tiago at the time, had been the only one not to even remotely make me suspicious. One of my friends had spied on him for a while and, though he’d been angry at me for it, he still came back to patch things up. Apparently, that very friend had revealed the reason why to him and he was willing to forgive it if I promised to believe him and not let my friends do that again.

I know he’s never lied to me. He’d ask me not to pry on certain topics now and then, or say that he couldn’t tell me, but never lied. If I didn’t at least want to have a guy like that back in my life, I’d never have agreed to this. I just wish he wasn’t grinning at me like a smug bastard right now. Clearly, he can see that my thoughts agree with him, and he’ll continue to be smug until I can come up with a strong comeback.

...It’s just too bad that I don’t have one.

Raoul doesn’t bother to stifle the snort at my frustrated silence. Shooting him a glare only made him laugh harder. He eventually settles, “sorry… it’s just really funny when you don’t have a comeback and can’t admit I’m right. I suppose some things just don’t change, hm?”

“Oh, like you would ever admit you’re wrong about something?” He smirks, “at this point, I’ve found that waiting until I am certain to speak on a matter can be…  _ quite _ rewarding.” He practically purrs those last words at me, a familiar glint in his eyes that I know all too well.

Raising my eyebrow at him in defiance, “don’t go getting any ideas mister, the deal was seven days, and sex is most definitely  _ off the table _ .” I had picked that particular condition for a very good reason. The reason, of course, being that he’s really good in bed. But, since I have the opportunity to do so, I might as well milk this and  _ really _ make him earn it this time around. I know he’s charming, but I also know all his tricks. He’s not gonna trick me into bed earlier than I’m willing to let him.

Ever mister confident, he smirks, “of course, amor. I would not dream of forcing you into something you do not want.” The look in his eyes made it clear I’d need to watch out for his old tricks. I believe he will not force me, but if I willingly ask, then he doesn’t violate the agreement. I shake my head at him and return to my menu, finally looking at what’s available this time around. Politely, he follows my lead, but the smirk doesn’t go away.


	6. Day 1: Time Does Not Change All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been a while. But not as long as last time! I’m hoping to get on a better schedule for posting
> 
> Also, this is a longer chapter, but if I cut it to my usual length, the stuff towards the end wouldn’t fit at the start of the next

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***I shake my head at him and return to my menu, finally looking at what’s available this time around. Politely, he follows my lead, but the smirk doesn’t go away.***

While looking over the menu, my mind searches, once again, for something to talk about. Trouble is, what topic can you discuss with an ex? We already knew a lot about each other before the...let’s say breakup. Although, I suppose anything can change in six years.

Thinking back on it, he was never comfortable talking about his family or childhood, especially when it came to his parents. With that in mind, I can’t very well ask him how his family is doing… or can I? No, too early.

Work? Considering that his boss thinks he’s dead, he’s obviously not working for MI6 anymore. But, that bears the question, how is he paying for all of this? The more I think about it, the more I wonder.

A government job, however dangerous, only pays so much. Not to mention, taking funds from a dead guy’s savings account would be awful suspicious. However, his car is nothing cheap, nor is this restaurant, his suit, his watch… He must be paying for this somehow.

I swallow a lump in my throat and clear it softly, “Raoul?” “Hm?...” It takes him a moment to look up from his menu. When he does, he immediately lowers his menu, giving me his full attention, “is something wrong?”

I smile at him, trying to reassure him, “no, nothing’s wrong. I was just wondering, did you get a new job after… you know? I mean, you have to be paying for this somehow.”

To this, he grins, “as a matter of fact, I did. I worked freelance for a while and ended up making it into my own business.”

“Wow! Really?” Turning freelance work into your own company is no small feat, especially these days.

He nods, a triumphant grin on his frequently smug face. “I did. It’s actually quite successful. Enough to afford the kind of life that most only dream of.”

“Wow. So, what sort of work is it?” He pauses, a flash of something rather dark shadowing his unfairly handsome face. It gives him a very menacing appearance. Like a demon you can’t predict. Just as quickly as it appears though, it’s gone, and Raoul is back with a strangely placid smile.

“Essentially…  _ anything _ that can be done with a computer, and everything that can’t…” There’s no point in hiding my complete confusion at his words. Although, I didn’t like how he’d said ‘anything’.

I studied him for a moment, completely bewildered at him. He looks back at me like a man with nothing to hide, but the sort that’s hiding a demon behind me rather than behind himself. It sends a small shiver up my spine.

The feeling doesn’t leave until the waiter comes to take our orders.

The rest of dinner is like any other date. We eat, he makes jokes while I’m drinking, I kick his shin for stealing bites off my plate, and we share a lot of laughs.

By the time he’s driving me home, I had almost forgotten that I was trying to stay mad at him and make him work to be back in my life.

Looking back on the night, I found that Roaul was basically no different from Tiago, aside from the hairdo. He didn’t really change over the years. Still as smug, sweet, funny, attentive and confident as Tiago used to be.

We finish dinner and he drives me back to my apartment. When we arrive, he tells me he’d like to walk me up in case Sam is still lurking around. I don’t object and he sees me to my door. Once I’ve unlocked it though, Raoul clears his throat behind me.

When I turn to face him, I’m startled by how close he’s standing to me. “Raoul? What is i- MMMH!” Faster than I can blink, Raoul’s soft lips crash against mine in an all but bruising kiss. Pressing himself closer until his body is firmly set against the length of mine, I can feel the hard muscle beneath his suit as his tongue invades my mouth.

Without realizing it, Raoul’s arms wrap around my back and he presses forward until I’m basically bent in half backwards in this kiss. But, it’s one I never thought I’d get again, and one I’ll never forget. It is a deep and passionate kiss, but not necessarily aggressive and everything melts away as my arms wrap around his neck and my nose takes in the delectable smell of his cologne. I’ve never been able to place it, but it’s husky and masculine, with a lighter floral to it that perfectly sums up this man. Powerful, but with a gentle side.

My head is swimming by the time he finally ends it. As he pulls away for air, my body instinctively tries to follow, catching myself at the last moment before we can start yet another kiss. I had not even realized my eyes have been closed this entire time until they flutter open, meeting Raoul’s warm chocolate brown eyes. Only, that’s what they usually are, but now, they’re consumed by his pupils, blown wide, no doubt, from the kiss.

We take a moment to breathe, taking one another in. Raoul gently holds my face, thumb softly caressing my cheek. Unconsciously, I lean into it, not realizing how much I’d missed his touch.

Slowly a smirk forms on Raoul’s lips, “well… That was…  _ informative _ .” My mind goes blank and I blink at him in confusion until I realize he’s started to walk away.

“HEY!”

He pauses, calmly turning towards me. “Yes? Was there something you wanted from me, querida?” Now it is my turn to freeze as I realize he was just trying to turn me on so I’d invite him to bed. Part of me  _ reeeeally  _ wants to do it, just because I’m the one who gets to make that call. Another part says that’ll only boost his ego.

My mouth opens and closes aimlessly until I just groan at him loudly, finally settling on a single sentence that would summarize how I feel about this exact moment.

Annoyed and turned on to a distracting degree, I shouted, “I SAID NO SEX!!” Before I have to face his reaction, I turn and fumble to get my door open, planning to slam it on him.

This, naturally, causes him to burst out into loud laughter, and me to get even more annoyed. “UUgghh! ...Fuck you, Raoul!!” I call out to him as I’m entering the apartment, to which he replies immediately.

“You need to make up your mind. Do you want sex or don’t you?” His grin is the most smug he’s worn all night, and it’s infuriatingly  _ him _ !

I slam my door and lock myself in my apartment, groaning at my own stupidity to egg him on. His laugh is audible through the door.

Alone in my apartment, I quickly became painfully aware of how wet that damn kiss had made me. Why does he have to be so  _ good _ at that?! Being that sexy should be illegal.

Damn. Small as it was, even kisses like that were  _ exactly  _ what I’d been hoping to avoid for a while. Really get to know him again first.

Tiago had always been incredible in bed, and I think Raoul was just trying to tell me that that’s one thing that most definitely hasn’t changed.

Much as I hate him for messing with me, the lingering taste of the wine he’d had at dinner sits warm on my tongue and creates a sense of longing in me.

I never thought I’d want him so much ever again… This makes things… complicated…

I walk through my nightly routine of getting changed, washing up, and brushing my teeth in a practiced, almost robotic manner. My mind was far too occupied with the events of this evening.

He was just as sensual a man as I remember. One of the first men to really treat me like a woman, not just as a mature adult, but as an intelligent and beautiful human being, a trait I had found myself searching for in every man since Tiago…

Some had made me feel it, but not as much as he did. Then there was that fight with Sam… I don’t condone violence, but… that was kinda hot! He was so strong, but was the ‘fight smarter’ type, so he wasn’t the sort to get into a fight he couldn’t win, or at least get out of with minimal injuries.

Sure, any meathead can get into a relationship with a good body. Animal instincts will always make the physically strong appealing. The real cherry on top, is Ti-Raoul, has the brains to mop the floor with said meatheads.

As I climb into bed and turn out the light though, my mind is plagued by that kiss. I can still feel his tongue in my mouth, not just exploring, but savoring every inch, every moan, and every moment.

The man was something out of a romance novel. A simple kiss triggering memories of our previous relationship even though he left more than 30 minutes ago.

The more I toss and turn, the more clearly my mind can recall his warmth in my bed, body pressed against mine, feeling his muscles ripple and flex beneath my fingers…

Startled, I shake myself vigorously before trying to get to sleep…

The next memory comes from the first time we made love… he was so gentle, patient, but never lost his passion from one moment to the next. I had felt so safe in his arms. So loved…

The man had clearly spent a lot of time exploring the human body in the bedroom, though he always insisted he’d never been one to sleep around, not even in his youth… I never really settled on whether or not I believe that statement.

Whether he was lying then or not, no longer matters because the point was that he was  _ very talented _ . It certainly didn’t help that he was quite…  _ gifted _ when it came to his manhood.

I remember having a lot of concerns on our first time, but he was so sweet, so focused on me. He never pushed me past my limits or comfort.

It ended up being a magical night, and one I could still remember very clearly even today.

Raoul was Tiago in more than a million ways, but there was one thing different, aside from the hair and name. Raoul was more… confident isn’t the right word. Assertive, perhaps? Whatever it was, he seemed far more sure of himself than Tiago had been when we first met. He had been a bundle of nerves.

Tiago used to come to the restaurant I was a bartender in all the time. He’d always sit in the section closest to the bar and order something, but always through the waitstaff. Then, out of nowhere, he started sitting at the bar.

At first, he was quiet. Careful with his drinks, reserved, but tipped really well. Then, one night, he came in looking like a wreck and had a little more than usual. This turned him into a real chatterbox. Through that, though, I was able to actually realize that he had an accent, and a very lovely baritone voice.

That night, he’d muttered in Spanish for a while, then suddenly called me over and confessed that he’d only been coming here to see me, that he didn’t want me to find it creepy, and he’d been afraid I wouldn’t like him.

The confession had been quite startling at the time and I hadn’t been sure how to answer when he’d asked me out after that, but after another hour or two of busy work with customers, I went back to him and accepted.

He didn’t seem creepy, just nervous, and far more so than when he was sober. By the time we even made it to our first date, he must have done something to pick himself up because he ended up being far more confident than me about it. 

Maybe he gave himself a pep talk or something first…

Either way, I’d ended up hiding behind my menu. He had always been incredibly handsome to me, but I’d just thought he was a business man who couldn’t even see me before he started sitting at the bar.

As my mind finally starts to see sleep in my future, one last thought invaded. Looking back on my life, he wasn’t just a good presence, but a good influence.

He was the one who had encouraged me to get a new job. Sure, the job ended up being rather menial, and my boss is a pain now and then, but I was at least in the right industry because of him.

He changed a lot of things about me and my life, and he was, by far, the deepest, most caring, and most passionate man to ever be a part of my life.

...Somehow, that made having him back in my life even more terrifying. I had barely survived losing him once, not leaving the house for weeks after I had realized he wasn’t going to call me again…

I don’t think I could survive that pain a second time if I let him back in now...


	7. Timing is Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look at this, 2 chapters in 1 week! Don’t get used to it XD However, I do want to use this as motivation to keep the posting times more consistent. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***I don’t think I could survive that pain a second time if I let him back in now…***

My alarm clock blared loudly at me.

Groaning, I roll over and hit the snooze button. Just as I let out a breath to truly relax, tension leaving my tired body, my phone rings loudly and I cringe.

“Who’s calling at ass-o’clock in the morning?” I grumble to my otherwise empty apartment. Pulling it over, I hit decline, only for it to ring again.

I groan loudly, answering with the intention to cuss them out, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

“Morning, Angel!” The voice coming through the phone makes me groan again. They just chuckle, “that’s hardly any way to greet someone. I thought you knew better.”

I can  _ hear _ the grin in his voice. “Raoul, it’s too early for this. Why are you calling anyway?”

I can hear him huffing, “you sound tired… Did you sleep alright?” There’s a smugness to his voice that greatly resembles the kind he had last night. “I just woke up, punk. Now tell me why you’re calling before I hang up on you!” I snap back at him, already more awake than I want to be.

I’d never tell him, but it is because of him that I did actually have trouble getting to sleep last night. My mind was kept far too awake going over memories of he and I from years ago.

All because of that stupid  _ kiss _ !!

It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking. “Darling. It’s 8:15. Aren’t you usually catching the train around this time?”

Panic shoots through me and I look at the clock.  _ Shit he’s right!! _

Frantically, I jump out of bed, Raoul still trying to talk to me on the phone. I quickly grab it again to hang up, “Raoul. I gotta go. Whatever you called me for, I’m sorry, but tell me later.”

He tries to speak, but I don’t give him the time, hanging up and getting dressed. I keep an eye on the time and my heart sinks lower and lower at the sight of it as I pack my bag for work.

I don’t even have time to eat or grab coffee as I run out the door. Maybe I can catch a cab outside to take me to work.

It’s times like this that I hate not having my own car.

At street level, my heart sinks when I don’t see a cab anywhere. There are always some by the station, so I head that way. Checking the time, it’s almost 8:30. If I don’t catch a fast cab, I’ll be late for work. The trains are fast, but I’ll be cutting it  _ very _ close.

My feet are on autopilot, carrying me on my usual path to work.

A very loud car horn sounds a little to my left and I let out a scream, but all blood drains from my face when I see a car barreling towards me.

My body can’t decide where to go. I can hear the car breaking, but my body refuses to work. A pair of strong arms wrap around my middle and, as if in slow motion, I’m pulled back and out of the way as the car finally stops right where I’d been standing.

Landing on my side, I shake and take some big gulps of air. Strong arms are wrapped protectively around me. As I turn to thank their owner for saving me, I’m beaten to the conversation.

“Are you alright, (y/n)?”

I whip my head around in shock, “Raoul?! What are you doing here?!?”

To my utter disbelief, and despite my attempts to convince my brain it’s not him, it is. He smiles coyly down at me.

Helping me to my feet, he clears his throat before answering. “Considering how late you slept in, I thought you might like a ride to work. Since you hung up, I figured I’d come and offer in person.”

Before I can answer, a car horn beeps. The driver who nearly hit me had stepped out. “Are you alright, Miss?”

I sigh, thankful he wasn’t the sort to just yell at me for not paying attention. I quickly look at my legs. Only a minor scrape on my calf.

“I’m okay. Thank you.” He nods, still a little shaken himself. “Alright, well, you take care of yourself.” He steps back in his car and pulls away, a line of cars behind him no doubt grateful for it.

There’s a pressure on my arm, and I find that Raoul is holding it. His face is oddly stern, looking back at the crosswalk and cars pulling into traffic.

“Raoul?”

He’s tense a moment, then seems to notice what he’s doing and stops, pulling his hand off. “Oh, sorry… So, what do you say?”

“Huh?” That was… strange. What’s he talking about? Did he ask me something?

He just chuckles, clearing his throat, hands clasped behind his back. “You asked me what I am doing here before. I said it was to offer to drive you to work.”

I blank for a moment. “Oh, uh, you don’t have to do that-.” “I want to.” He sounded quite sure of himself. Checking the time, I either take his offer, or be late to work.

I smile up at him, nodding. “Okay. Thank you.”

He beams, guiding me over to his car. Ever playing the gentleman, he opens the door for me and waits till I’m seated to get in on his side.

I don’t even notice him pull back into traffic. There’s coffee and a small bag in the cup holders. “Raoul? Is this your breakfast?” If it is, I may have to force him to hide it from me. It smells really good, especially with not having any breakfast yet.

He looks at them, “oh, no. Those are for you. You need a lot more time in the morning than you had today for everything you usually do, so I thought I’d bring you some that I made this morning.

I decide to ignore that he apparently has timed me in the morning and knows my routine. I hope it doesn’t mean he’s used my laptop or phone camera to spy on me since we parted ways.

For now, I chalk it up to a good memory, since we did live together for a while. Smiling, I take the bag, which turns out to hold a breakfast sandwich, and the coffee, digging in with a smile. “Thank you.”

While he drives, I take the time to look over his car. By simple glances, it had looked like a luxury brand, but a glance at his steering wheel confirms it. More specifically, it’s a Maserati.

Tiago wasn’t cheap, but his old job wouldn’t have paid for a Maserati and I find myself wondering, again, about his ‘business’.

I eye him for a moment while I eat, but decide that, for now, I don’t want to know more about what qualifies as ‘anything’ for his business. For now, I’m going to keep it innocent.

“Raoul? What kind of car is this?”

He turns with a smile at my sudden desire for conversation. “It’s a Maserati GranTurismo, convertible.”

I look at the lush, cloth interior, feeling like a slob for eating in here, having not realized it was a Maserati. I awkwardly pack up my food and swallow, very carefully sipping my coffee as not to spill.

Raoul notices my behavior and laughs. “It is alright. I trust you not to make a mess. Eat. You’ll need the energy.”

Smiling awkwardly, I slowly resume eating. “Thanks…”

Once I’d finished, he cleared his throat. “Would you mind if we had a discussion? I did call you to talk about something…”

I pause, remembering how I hung up on him earlier. Nodding, “sure. What did you want to talk about?”

“Well, you gave me seven days to charm you into taking me back so, I was hoping for another date tonight.”

“Oh… sure! What did you have in mind?”

He smiles widely. “I was thinking I’d take you dancing.”

I wish I could say he’s not playing fair. I love dancing and this man expanded a lot of it to different genres. I got into tango, ballroom, and salsa because of him.

Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I went out dancing. Smiling, I nod, “I’d like that.”

As usual, he’s grinning. “Excellent. Want me to pick you up after work? Early dinner and dancing?”

“Sure. We can have dinner at my place.” His brow furrows, “but-.”

“No  _ buts _ ! Consider it a thank you, for breakfast and a ride.”

He is stunned for a moment, but ultimately chuckles. “Very well, (y/n). How about… chicken parm, and salads?”

“Sounds good. I should have everything for that at home.”

He drops me off at my office with ten minutes to spare. Before I get out of the car, he manages to kiss my cheek by putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close.

It startled me a little, but not as much as my wink as I close his car door. That had him sitting outside for a good couple of minutes before leaving.

Alison and Viv wouldn’t leave me alone at all today. Neither would Jack. 

Though normally an ally against the girls’ constant barrage of questions, he just got back from a trip for the company and has a lot to catch up on. Apparently Viv got to him before I did and told him about all the drama that went down with Sam.

Of course, it only got worse when Jack learned I was dating a new guy and had a second date tonight. He immediately wanted to know literally everything about him.

The girls just tagged along because Jack had a better reason for asking. Plus, they know I tell him more when it comes to boyfriends. After all, a guy knows more about what’s going on in a boyfriend’s head than a gal pal, much as Alison would argue.

Against my original plan to play hard-to-get, I’m excited for tonight and spend some time going through my outfits in my head for what to wear.

Somehow, Jack manages to hang on my arm all day. Since he got here, he’s been my best friend, even more so than Viv and Al, though I’d never tell them that.

Jack takes me to lunch and we chat about his trip and my drama-filled love-life. When I make the mistake of telling him that Raoul is picking me up after work, he insists on walking out with me to get a look at him.

Sure enough, Jack appears as I’m clocking out, walking with me to the lot without a single word

Well, that’s not true. He says a  _ lot _ of words, just none that were politely asking if he could join me. No, he was asking about Raoul.

Jack doesn’t stop his pestering until we’re outside. In the parking lot, I spot Raoul’s car very quickly. He appears to be on the phone and doesn’t seem to have spotted us yet.

“Oh! That’s him over there! R-!” I had pointed him out to Jack, but he suddenly stops me the moment I go to step closer. I stare up at him in bewilderment as I wonder why he stopped me.

I have  _ never _ seen such a serious expression on Jack’s face before. He’s staring straight at Raoul, not blinking.

His face is a blank mask made of determination and seriousness. Normally, I only see the former when he wanted to get the gang together for drinks when we hadn’t had much free time leading up to it.

The latter, however, is new to me. He’s serious about things, just not the boyfriends of his female friends.

“Jack? Is something wrong?”

...


	8. Day 2: Dreaming of Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been so long. I was taking classes and working at the same time and preparing for the vacation I’m currently on. But, that means break time, so I’m able to get some writing in. Hopefully next chapter won’t be so long a wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***“Jack? Is something wrong?”  
> …***

He turns his head to look at me, quite serious about whatever had made him pause.

“(Y/n). You know I love you, but I have to be honest with you…”

My heart sinks, mentally bracing for the worst. Jack gets around and has caught many men in the act of cheating. One of the reasons that having a guy friend pays off.

“Jack? You’re kinda scaring me buddy.”

There’s a pause before he speaks. “...I may have to steal him from you…”

My brow furrows and I groan as a grin spreads over his face. “Jack! What the _Hell_ , man? That’s-...” I settle for giving him a light punch in the arm for messing with me.

I had been expecting him to say he’d seen him somewhere before and it wasn’t in good context, but _that!?_ I was not prepared for _that_.

He laughs. “I’m _sorry_ , but… come _on_ he is **_hot_ ** _!!_ You can’t really blame me.”

I can’t believe he had the gall to mess with me like that. “I think I actually can, and so could _Andrew_ . I wonder what _he’d_ have to say about you ogling my boyfriend… Or, did you just forget about him?”

He gasps at my accusations & I grin victoriously. He recovers from the gasp in mere seconds to reply very matter-of-factly, “firstly,  I never said anything about cheating on Andrew, I was implying I’d steal him from you for he and I to _share_ , which he’d _totally_ get behind, so your threat is moot.”

I raise an eyebrow at him with major skepticism and a laugh.

“Secondly, I thought it was day 2, why is he suddenly ‘your boyfriend’?”

My mind blanks and I stutter for a moment as I collect my thoughts. It’s now his turn to raise an eyebrow at me, arms folded.

“I-I mean I-...Shut up!”

He laughs, “please, (y/n), I think it’s a good thing. If you are already calling this man your boyfriend after just one date, then you must see _something_ worth loving!”

I’m left floundering for a full minute, stunned into silence. He does have a point though…

My brain plays back his words, ‘you must see _something_ worth loving’ and my mind, unhelpfully, brings up memories.

Memories… of sweet words whispered in the dark... Of strong arms and hands that promised to never let me go... Of soft lips that caressed every inch of my skin as though worshiping a goddess…

I hear Jack chuckling and I quickly give myself a vigorous shake. “Sh-Shut Up!”

As I try to look away from him, I see that Raoul is off the phone and waving me over. Nodding, Jack stops me one last time. “(Y/n)? Don’t let the pain you’ve had before, ruin what could be the one you’ve been waiting for, even if this isn’t him… okay?”

Jack knows how to tug at my heartstrings. Giving him a big hug, I thank him and go to join Raoul. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” He doesn’t seem to hear me though, “Raoul? You okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yes, I’m just trying to figure out if I’ve met him before.” He nods back at Jack. “Oh, no, I don’t think you’ve met. That’s Jack. Been my friend for like, forever. Total sweetheart. I’ve probably mentioned him before, but, no, I don’t think you’ve met.”

Raoul continues to watch Jack, even as he walks to his own car. I gently poke his cheek, startling him. “Oh, sorry. You kinda spaced out there for a minute… Are we going?”

He smiles, nodding, “we are. After you.” Raoul opens the door for me and we’re soon at my apartment.

We step inside and I step to the kitchen to start the food. Raoul immediately wraps his arm around my shoulders, “just a moment Amor. Let me start the food while you get ready for our night, hm?”

I’m startled for a moment, but I could really use a shower. He was a pretty good cook as I recall, so there’s no real harm in letting him get things started, although it’s rather rude of me as a host to let my guest do the cooking.

“Oh, no, no, I couldn’t ask you to-” “Oh, but I insist. This whole test is a chance for me to convince you to let me back in your life, right? So, I want you to know what that will really be like.”

He smiles down at me, but there’s something odd about it… something dark in his eyes that I haven’t seen before. It makes the whole thing seem almost non-negotiable.

“I-uh… I guess so…” I can’t tear my eyes away from his, or that look. The look fades and his smile brightens, nodding. “Good, so, why don’t you go take a nice hot shower, pick out a cute dress, and I’ll get to work on dinner.”

I can’t seem to find the words to answer as he ushers me to the bedroom. For a minute, I wander around my room until I can collect my thoughts and shake myself out of my daze.

Looking back, he’s in the kitchen, starting the food as promised, so I give myself a good shake and get a shower going.

When I step out of the bathroom, Raoul is right on the other side of the door and I let out a little yelp. He jumps back, chuckling.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just came over to tell you that dinner is ready.”

“Oh, uh, thanks. I’ll be right there.” I get dressed, leaving a towel on my shoulders to catch the water left in my hair and joining him at the table.

The table arrangement is lovely. Candles are lit, the lights are turned down. A fresh salad sits next to the chicken parm, with some dressing and a little wine sitting at each place. Raoul sees me walking over and stands up to pull my seat out for me. 

“Oh, why thank you, sir.” I say with a little giggle.

“My pleasure. Please, help yourself.” He walks around the table and we dig in. I don’t know if it’s just been so long, or if I’m misremembering, but he’s a much better chef than I remember.

“Wow. This is really good. Have you been practicing since we last went out?” He smiles, “I did practice a little bit. A man has many chances to get better at cooking when he has to cook for himself every night.”

He winks, but there’s something sad about his words, thinking about the nights he spent alone since escaping, trying to recover from what happened to him.

The food was excellent. The chicken was fully cooked, but still juicy, the salad was fresh. I try to get more about his work, but he’s very good at keeping it under wraps and staying vague.

I try to squash down my feelings of nervousness for the time being, not quite ready to confront him about that. I’m terrified of what his answer could be, but I’ll have to confront him about it before we actually start dating again.

My glass of wine was rather small, so I have no qualms about finishing it with dinner. We both get up and clean our plates, Raoul checking the time now and then as I blow out the candles.

“Ready?” He asks with a charming smile on his face. I smile back at him, grabbing my wrap and clutch and following him out the door.

As he climbs in the car, he smiles at me. “(Y/N)? Do you remember Sadie’s?” My heart swells and I get a warm and fuzzy feeling. “Yeah. Is that where we’re going dancing?”

He grins, nodding. “Of course. I couldn’t possibly take us anywhere else after all the fun times we had there.”

I grin back at him, trying to contain my excitement. Sadie’s was a big part of our original relationship. It was where I really started to fall in love with him.

My mind drifts back to a distant memory at Sadie’s.

We had a standing date, where we’d meet once a week at the same time for a few months. He was never late. Always was there waiting for me with flowers and a big smile.

I recall one of the days we met there and it was ballroom dancing night. He looked so handsome in his suit, linking our arms as he walked us through the doors.

This seemed to be his favorite choice for a date night back then. He loved it. I had always thought he was the old fashioned brand of romantic for picking it, not that I would ever complain.

I loved it. The warmth of his body, the intimacy of the dances, my heart pounding from exertion… I remember asking him why he always wanted to go dancing for our dates, and he said, “because, the world is full of terrible things, but, in here, there is nothing but beautiful music, and a beautiful woman who smells like heaven... and because I could not come up with a better excuse to be pressed against you that would not get me smacked.”

Just remembering those words makes me giggle even now.

“You’re in a good mood. Wanna tell me why?” Raoul’s voice cuts through my daydream and I jump a little.

He laughs, “sorry… but, what were you thinking about? Must have been something good.”

I blush hard, clearing my throat. “Just, uhh… thinking about… work.”

I try not to look at him, knowing the look he’s giving me. It’s incredibly judgemental and amused… not to mention incredibly, annoyingly hot. Although just about any expression on his face looks like ‘hot’.

I finally look back and he’s still wearing that look. Flustered, I try to think of something to shut him down and end up floundering like a fish out of water. “I-I mean that… W-well what I meant was-... Shut up!”

I turn to look out the window as he bursts out laughing. “If you say so.” My cheeks just burn hotter at that. “You’re still talking.” I grumble back at him without looking and he just chuckles, hand finding my knee and squeezing it lovingly.

I know it’s meant lovingly because he used to do it to ease my nerves whenever he was sitting. A simple application of pressure. He used to say that it meant ‘I love you’ without speaking.

We pull up to the studio and I feel a rush of nostalgia at the sight of the sign. These dance nights are funded by donations from the guests, so I love to see that they can still do them.

Raoul hops out and comes around to open the door for me. “So, what’s tonight’s theme?”

He grins at me, pulling me towards the door without really answering.


	9. Dance with a Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Very sorry this took so long! I was taking a class, then working, then had to get ready to move apartments and get ready for school to start up again. Then my dog passed so... things have been... busy. Thank you for your patience and I promise the next few chapters will come in faster than this one. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, here's where we were last:
> 
> *He grins at me, pulling me towards the door without really answering.*

Shaking my head, I roll my eyes at his nonsense. I don’t think he’s  _ ever _ revealed a surprise to me early before. Always prefers to keep me guessing until the last minute.

As we head in, I pull out my wallet and give the ticket seller the $5 fee. Students at this school can get into these dance nights for free, but I can’t anymore since I haven’t taken lessons here in years.

Raoul pays the extra money for a ticket for the alcohol table. I wonder if I’ll get to drive his car if he ends up too drunk to drive later.

Inside, the decorations are beautiful. Streamers and colored lights line the walls, paper flowers hanging from the streamers and giving the room a bright flare of color. On a table are some decorated hand fans, flower pins and hair clips for the dancers to borrow for the night.

I look around and spot the teachers I used to know and notice the layered, flowy skirts they’re wearing. My eyes narrow as I realize what the theme is and why Raoul might’ve picked tonight.

“Raoul?”

He smirks, voice soft and innocent, “yes?”

I look up at him flatly, “is it Dances of Spain night?” His smirk just widens and I have my answer. Groaning softly, I walk over to the table with the fans and flowers. By the footsteps, he’s not far behind me.

Of  _ course _ he’d choose tonight. Having a strong Spanish heritage, arguably the most he’s ever told me about his childhood, means he learned many of the dances we’ll be doing tonight as a child. The guy is a walking example of why there’s an old saying that Spaniards are the best dancers in the world.

This man is almost annoyingly sexy on the dance floor.

I reach the table and pick up some of the fans, trying to look busy so I don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how annoyed I am at him. Or how excited I am for the dancing to start.

He leans over me, hand sliding between my arm and my body to pick a fake flower off the table and setting it in my hair.

I could feel the heat of his body as he pressed against my back, his fingers gently brushing my hip as he reaches past me. Holding the flower, his hands meet in my hair to fasten it in place. As he pulled away, his hands rested on my shoulders, slowly sliding down my upper arms, tapering off before reaching my elbows.

The whole thing took maybe a couple of seconds, but it felt like forever.

All I could do was stand there, speechless and enchanted. His hands, though large, were incredibly gentle. They always had been. For a moment, as his hands had slid down my arms, my mind had drifted. It drifted to late, warm nights as he slid my dress of my shoulders and kissed the skin they’d been covering.

“Darling?” I jump in surprise, pursing my lips at the embarrassing squeak that escaped. A deep chuckle follows and I can feel it vibrating through my bones, making me feel fuzzy. “Are you alright?”

I give him a smile and a little nod, “of course. I’m fine.” He smiles back down at me, “good, because they’re about to start the music. Come.”

Taking my hand, he leads me to the dance floor where the others are all gathering with their partners. The hand holding mine lifts a bit higher, his other hand settling on my waist, shifting only slightly until it finds its home, perfectly matching the curve of my body.

I can already feel the skin beneath my dress warming where his hand is resting. The music starts as I meet his gaze and the smile on his lips spreads to his eyes as he effortlessly leads me through the first steps.

We glide over the dance floor as the lights are dimmed slightly, the fake flowers on the wall soon lighting up from little bulbs in the center of each. They cast a warm glow over the room that reminds me of candlelight.

The room is still lit, but now reminds me of a candlelit dance in the late evening. Plenty to see by, but warmer and more intimate than the larger, fluorescent lights on the ceiling.

I no longer register the men and women around me, my attention entirely on my own dance with Raoul. Every so often, the dance would bring us chest to chest, and I swear I could feel his heart beating through his suit, even though it was only for a moment.

My dress flares out a little around my legs as I spin with the rhythm of the music. My heels click against the hard floor with everyone else’s. If we were all doing the exact same moves together, it would be a beautiful chorus of synchronization. Instead, it was like a rumbling thunder. Like horses creating a rhythm as they ran. Not quite in sync, but not close enough or far enough to be an ugly sound. More like a wave of rhythm and passion.

I come back to him after a move that took me a few feet from him, and his arm wraps all the way around my back to hold my waist on the same side as the hand he takes in his. This pulled me flush against his front and I swear I can feel his muscles through his suit as they shifted with each step.

He steps through each move flawlessly, mixing some of the dances we’d learned together, but each move fitting the tempo to a T. As the music comes to an end, he leans over me and I let my leg slide out behind me, my other leg bending forward at the knee so my spine bends to keep us against each other.

As the lights change and everyone gets ready for the next song, we stare at each other, faces mere inches apart. For a moment... I see it. I see Tiago in his eyes, from every time we’d ever danced here before. He leans in just a bit and his lips just barely brush my own in a kiss before pulling away.

I don’t register the kids until he’s standing us back up. A small smile on his face as the next song starts and he moves us through the slower steps.

There is no smugness in his features though, just genuine love and affection, and I know in my heart that there are only two options left. Accept that I still love him, or leave him forever, but this game won’t survive the week.

The night goes on much like the start of it. After a lot of dances, Raoul pulls me aside so we can take a break. I grab a cup of water for myself and Raoul gets himself a drink from the alcohol table.

No words are exchanged as we watch others dancing, enjoying the peaceful silence between us and the music over the speakers. As I was finishing my water, Raoul’s cell phone rings.

He looks at me apologetically. “Do excuse me, darling. I have to take this.” Leaning forward, he kisses my cheek. “I’ll be right back.” With that, he answers the phone as he heads for the front door.

I think for a moment about where this is going as I watch him slip farther away and my chest feels tight. My mind drifts to the dances we’ve had tonight.

The feeling of his solid muscle pressed against me, the musky, warm smell of his cologne that made me dizzy, and that look in his eyes that made me feel safe and cherished.

I let out a heavy sigh as I stared into my empty water cup. I am completely screwed. I’m trying to hold back and make him wait until the end of the week, but I think my mind is already made up. Over the years since I last saw Tiago, I’ve been trying to forget him but, I missed him.

For as much a hard time I gave him when he suggested getting back together, I missed him. I’ve missed being with him. He’s sweet, he’s considerate, he’s smart, and not to mention handsome and sexy as hell to the point it should probably be illegal…

My mind is made up. Although, that doesn’t mean I cannot make him wait until tomorrow to find out. After all, he’s gonna be a smug shit about it anyway, so I might as well use what power I have here and make him wait.

It’s pretty late now and I have work in the morning, so I head for the door to see if he wants to head out.

As I step outside, I look around the dark lot. When I spot him, it puts a smile on my face.

Walking over, I try to sneak up behind him to scare him.

As I get closer, I can hear his voice. He’s talking in Spanish, so I don’t know what he’s saying, but something he says gives me pause. Or, rather,  _ how _ he’s speaking.

My brow furrows in concern as his voice is a deep, angry tone. His words sound dark and almost haunting. I could easily believe that he’s threatening someone if I were to be told that’s the case.

The harsh tone and words send a shiver down my spine, and goosebumps to rise on my skin. I warily take a step back as he’s hanging up the phone. I accidentally kick a pebble and he turns fast, causing me to yelp. 

His eyes go wide at seeing me, “darling?... Oh, I guess you heard some of that, didn’t you.”

My mouth feels dry as I swallow, “s-sort of… I still don’t speak Spanish…”

His face falls and he steps closer to gently hold my shoulders. “I am sorry. Clearly I’ve scared you and you don’t deserve that.” Rubbing my upper arms, his warmth alleviates my goosebumps.

“I-it’s okay. Just… makes me wonder who you could’ve been talking to like that…” My voice is still small as he continues to try and ease my nerves. His musky cologne is strong from this distance and it fills my lungs, going straight to my head.

A deep sigh is his initial response and I can feel it moving through my hair. “Again, I am sorry that I scared you. Sadly, some of my staff need to be yelled at in order to actually care and fix problems. Most of them don’t though…”

I take a deep breath and press myself against him in a big hug. He returns it, rubbing my back.

“I promise you, darling, you will not have to see that again. Come, let’s go back inside for another dance, hm?”

I sigh softly, loving his warmth and his now soft voice. It made me feel fuzzy and I start to forget how much he scared me a minute ago.

“Actually, I came out here because I’m getting kind of tired and I was going to ask if you want to head home.”

He smiles warmly, “we certainly can. Let’s go.”

A little later, we were in front of my apartment. I turn back to face him and smile. “Well, I guess this is ‘goodnight’.”

His lips curl up into a warm smile that hides a childlike mischief that never seems truly absent from his gaze when he’s in a good mood. “I believe it is, but before I go, I was hoping you’d let me take you to lunch tomorrow on your break. I will be conducting work in the area, so it will not be far for me to pick you up.”

I let out a little huff. He really is trying to get the most out of this seven day game. I give him a nod though, since he can’t hear my thoughts. “That sounds nice. I’ll see you then.”

He grins, “good. Well then, goodnight, (y/n).” He leans over and kisses my cheek before turning back to the elevator. With a smile on my face, I watch him go until he disappears from my sight.

I cannot wait to see him tomorrow.


	10. Good News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I made a deal with a friend, @acutecupidity that I would post chapter 10 of "The More Things Change" by Sunday and she'd give me and my friends a little piece she's been doing. Now, she's late on her delivery, but I am 2 days early soooooo ;) Enjoy! I've got some plans for what's coming up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I cannot wait to see him tomorrow.*

I wake up early the following morning, excited to be able to say that Raoul and I are getting back together.

I really should get more sleep, but I’m too excited and end up settling for a nice, hot shower and a big, warm breakfast.

With my extra time this morning, I can take my time with my makeup and picking out a cute outfit for my lunch date with Raoul.

Skirts and flowy tops, pants with tucked-in shirts, some warm, but professional, dresses. I finally settled on a light weight, medium length skirt, casual heels and a nice top and jacket.

I finish it by putting on some earrings Raoul had gotten for me. I haven’t worn them since before he left 6 years ago. They were a simple pair of silver, dangling earrings with small rubies in the middle. It was the first Valentine's Day gift he ever gave me.

Even with allowing myself time to kill on getting ready, I’m still ready very early and decide to just head to work and get ahead of the usual rush hour crowd.

I say goodbye to the clerk at the desk of my building and the doorman as I head out.

Maybe if I clock in early and get all my work done, perhaps my boss will let me leave a little early so I can get supplies for dinner.

After arriving at my office about 20 minutes early, I decide to clock in and get right to work. When my friends arrive, they all look at me like I’m crazy for beating them to the office.

“Girl, what time did you get here? You’re never this alert and ready this early in the morning.” Alison actually looks genuinely concerned about me as she leans in to check for signs of illness.

Giggling, I shake my head. “I just got up early and decided to get a head start today. I haven’t been here  _ that _ long.”

Vivian is suddenly  _ right  _ in my face, studying me. “...You’re  _ glowing _ ! Good date last night? Tell us  _ everything _ .” By now, Jack has joined us and the three of them have me cornered in my cubicle.

“Ummm… There’s not much to say really. We had dinner and he took me out dancing. That’s it.”

There’s a pause, and I’ve known these three long enough to know that they aren’t buying it. Jack grins. “Oh, sweetie. You got it  _ bad _ don’t you?”

“W-what?!” My face goes bright pink. How does he just figure things out like that?

Jack chuckles. “Sweetie, it’s okay. He’s hot, he’s successful, clearly he can dance or else you’d be right now. He sounds like your perfect guy, so there’s no shame in being super into him this soon. Right girls?”

Alison and Viv nod their heads. “Jack’s right, we’re happy for you. Now  _ you _ just need to be able to admit it and you can finally have a real keeper on your hands. The harder you deny it, the more likely he is to start thinking you’re not as into him and move on, so embrace it!”

“You haven’t had a guy  _ this _ good for you since Tiago sweetie. Let yourself be happy with the guy who  _ is _ here.” I know Alison is trying to be supportive, but if they only knew the truth.

Of course, I could never tell them. There was no way I  _ could _ tell them that Raoul was the same handsome man who broke my heart when he disappeared six years ago. Nor could they ever understand why he’d change his name and appearance.

Still, I just gave them a warm smile. “Thanks, and you’re right, he is probably the best guy I’ve ever gone out with…”

After chatting about their nights, the troublesome threesome go to clock in. The hours tick by and work drones on. I get so absorbed in my work that I don’t even realize it’s time for lunch until my phone buzzes next to me. It scares me right out of my skin and I hold my chest as I pick up.

I have a text notification from Raoul. Apparently he’s outside my building, but… Oh! I jump up and quickly lock my computer, grabbing my purse and heading to the computer by the elevator to punch out for lunch. As I slip into the elevator, I shoot him a text back to let him know I’m on my way.

About ten minutes later, Raoul is escorting me into a cute little restaurant with an outdoor patio space. We get a table outside and I quickly scan the menu, glancing up at him now and then.

I’ve never been here before, but everything looks delicious. “You’re in a good mood today. Did something good happen at work?”

I look up to see Raoul smiling at me. It’s still his usual smug smile, but there’s a softness to it that’s more genuine than other times

I chuckle and lower my menu. “Yes and no. Something good happened, but it wasn’t at work.”

He sits up a little straighter, tilting his head back and narrowing his eyes like he’s studying me for a hint. “Oh? And what, pray tell, might that be?”

Grinning, I lean forward a little, he moves to meet me halfway. Perfect. “...You’ll have to wait and find out.” With a wink, I sit back in my seat and return to my menu, lifting it enough to hide my wide smile at the groan that leaves him.

“Hahaha… Well played, darling. Well played…” It feels good to be the one leaving  _ him _ guessing every now and then. I have to fight the urge to do a victory dance.

“So, what are you thinking for lunch?” I can hear him grunt across the table. “I have heard that their new pasta dish is excellent. Though I come here fairly regularly. It is not easy to change one’s routine once set in it…”

I can’t help but giggle. Whenever he used to find a restaurant he likes, he’d always used to stick to it. I remember trying to get him to even taste the food I’d get at the same restaurants and he’d refuse. Didn’t want to mess with perfection or something. It’s good to see he’s trying to branch out on food, although I’m betting the pasta won’t be the dish in front of him later.

“And what about you? Figure out what you’re going to eat yet?” Ahhh, shit! The bastard flipped it on me. He knows I can never decide on what I’m gonna eat until the  _ last _ second.

Two can play though. I know how he’s sitting so I know right where his leg is. I give his shin a little kick. Not enough to hurt, but I want him to feel it. Annoyingly, all I get out of him is what sounds like an airy cough, and a lot of chuckling.

“You’re a punk, Raoul.” He laughs again and I smirk. “But your  _ my  _ punk.” To my glee, he cuts off mid-chuckle and there’s a long pause that follows.

“...(Y/N)?...” I don’t bother hiding my grin this time. A rare treat greets me as I look at him. The man is  _ actually  _ flustered!! I use the most fakey-innocent voice I can, “yeeeesss?”

If this were a cartoon, my character would have huge eyelashes, sparkly eyes and a halo. Raoul’s character would have a needle to pop the bubble of false innocence.

“D-did you just-? ...What do you mean by that, exactly?” I look deep into his eyes and there’s a little candle of hopefulness in them that he’s trying to hide. For a moment, I think back on those years he spent as a prisoner, being afflicted with God only knows what.

I  _ was  _ going to wait until after lunch to tell him, but he really does love me and just wants to know he has a place in this world and someone who loves him, so...

I close my menu most of the way as my resolve in this game fades. Taking a deep breath, I open my mouth, but am cut off when our waiter shows up and asks if we’re ready to order.

My words catch in my throat and by the time I recover, Raoul is already recovered and casually telling our waiter his order. All signs of his previous vulnerability gone, hidden behind a veil of confidence and control.

Smiling a bit awkwardly, I decide to go with the chicken salad and my favorite dressing. As the waiter goes to put in our orders, I look to Raoul, unsure of how to start the conversation again. Especially since he’s acting like nothing happened. Like we’d been waiting for the waiter rather than me being about to make his day with some good news.

Raoul ends up asking me about work and keeps the conversation on that until our food comes, much to my own surprise. The guy’s smart. He should know that was something amazing about to happen, so why’s he avoiding it…

Our food comes and I decide I might as well wait until after we finish eating to tell him. The first bite is wonderful. As I predicted, he does  _ not _ have the pasta dish in front of him, but a tasty-looking sandwich that I’m certain he gets whenever he’s here.

“So, how’s work? You said you’d be doing some in the area today. Is it a new contract or something?” I glance up at him and find him pausing a moment. There’s nothing menacing about his look, but rather, calculating.

“Um, actually yes. I was discussing the terms of a job with a client before I came to get you.”

Well, that’s I think the most he’s revealed yet about his work, might as well see how much he’ll say. “And did things seem to be going well?” He tips his head in a kind of ‘meh’ sort of way.

“Sort of. We agreed to most of the terms, but the payment the client is offering for the work and quality is far below my usual rates for similar jobs. So, right now, pay negotiations are the hang up and I am not sure how to make him understand how low his current offer is.”

“Hmmm, well, if he’s come to you because he’s familiar with your work, you can use it as your reasoning, or, if he’s not, you can agree to a simulation or statistical analysis of what you would do for the current offer and explain why more money is necessary for the work he wants.”

He pauses with his sandwich halfway to his mouth and sits back in his chair. “Huh… That is not a bad idea…”

I smile to myself as I eat more of my salad. His focus on his food becomes uncanny as his mind tunes out for a bit. He reacts to absolutely nothing as he disappears into his thoughts. I get the sense that I could take his car keys out of his pocket and he wouldn’t wake from his meditative state.

Finally a bit tired of the silence, I poke his hand with my fork to wake him. He jumps, dropping his sandwich on his plate and holding his chest. “(Y/N)! Why did you  _ do  _ that?”

I stare at him for a moment. “Uh, Raoul? How long ago do you think our food got here?”

He narrows his eyes in confusion. “A few minutes ago. Why?” I snort, “That was actually almost 20 minutes ago. Why do you think you only have two bites left on your sandwich and I’m done with my salad?” I can’t help but giggle at his baffled expression.

He drops his head into his hand, elbow braced on the table. “I have to admit... I cannot account for most of that time…” Do my eyes deceive me? I think I see a little pink on his face.

Grinning, I pat his hand on the table, “awww, it’s okay. I hope whatever you were thinking about you figured out. Hate to have to return to that train of thought later”

He sighs and shakes his head. Our waiter comes over and Raoul apparently decides he doesn’t want to finish his lunch. We get the check and head out to the car. “So, are you going back to your negotiations? Or are you picking up again tomorrow?”

He hums for a moment. “Our plan is to meet tomorrow, but I need to meet with someone else to close a contract… Do you think we could meet for dinner tonight?”

I smile, remembering what I’d wanted to tell him before the waiter arrived. “Actually, yes, and I thought you should know that I’m amending our original plan for this game.”

He slows down, turning to me cautiously, “...very well… what did you have in mind?” He looks like a man bracing for some bad news.

I give him a grin as I click open the passenger-side door of the car. “...I’m ending it early.”

He stands there like an idiot as he processes it for a moment. For a smart guy, he’s being real dumb right now, until his face splits in pure glee and he quickly slides into his seat and pulls me in for a surprise kiss.

I lean over the cup holders and gear shift to kiss him back, glad that he didn’t think I meant a breakup. Though I do regret not giving him a real run for his money, he’s too good a guy to cruelly lead along on a goose chase that’s going nowhere.

He’s still the guy for me that he was 6 years ago.


	11. New Game and Old Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow... It's been awhile... But, I have some fun stuff planned for the future. This is the point where things start to pick up, and I hope you're all as excited as I am :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raoul's a tricky little bastard
> 
> ***He’s still the guy for me that he was 6 years ago.***

Raoul drops me off at work, grinning like an idiot. I step out of the car and lean through the open window. “Wanna have dinner at my place to celebrate?”

Somehow, his grin widens, “I would like that, but how about you come over to my apartment this time?” The glint in his eyes is so incredibly obvious.

“Nice try, but you’re not getting laid _that_ easily smartass.” He clicks his tongue, shrugging. “Can’t blame a man for trying.”

I reach into the car to give his arm a light smack. “Yeah, right! I totally can! _My_ place. 6:30.”

He chuckles as he tries to dodge my smack before driving off. I shake my head at him. Since I don’t have my own car, going over to his place would basically _guarantee_ me spending the night there and I _know_ he’s gonna try something if I do. I’m not an idiot.

Honestly, it’s not like I have any real objections to sleeping with him. I know he knows what he’s doing in bed and hell, I don’t mind _that_ at all.

Trouble is, I know some things in life don’t change, and back when we were together before, he was stubborn. Once Tiago decided he wanted something, he would find a way to get it. A small degree of challenge to his enormous ego was the best way to remind him that I'm not just a pretty little face on his arm. No one can be allowed to get exactly what they want all the time, so the least I can do is make him work for it.

I already know he’s not gonna stop until our relationship is exactly like it used to be. We were basically living together except for when he had to return to Hong Kong for work.

Although, in reality it was more like I was his vacation home. A timeshare he could escape to in his free time that he paid for with romance. Now though, he’s all but retired. He’s in charge of where he goes and spends his nights. He decides if he wants to actually travel for his work or have someone go in his place or have the meeting over a call of some kind.

Maybe we can finally have a normal relationship.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

After work, I call a cab to take me to the store. From there, it’ll be close enough to walk home.

As I’m doing my shopping for dinner supplies, I get a text from Raoul.

_*Could I ask what you’re planning to make for dinner?*_

Smiling, I text him back.

_*I was thinking steaks. We are celebrating after all*_

I go back to browsing the vegetable aisle, grabbing some fresh tomatoes and moving on for other salad ingredients.

My phone buzzes and it’s him again.

_*6:30, right?*_

I huff. The man likes to be punctual.

_*Yup. See you there ;)*_

His response is almost immediate.

_*Tease*_

Giggling, I set my phone back in my bag and return to my shopping.

When I get home, I set my small countertop electric grill out to start cooking the steaks. I’d prefer a real grill but my building doesn’t exactly have a yard and my apartment itself could never really accommodate one. But, a countertop grill is a good second-best, especially with the right seasonings.

The kitchen is swimming with the smell of steak and creamy potatoes with garlic when there’s a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” I call out as I focus on the steaks to keep from overcooking, and moving just a step away to watch the door.

There’s a pause.

“It’s Prince Charming! Here to whisk you away on a magical adventure. All you have to say is ‘yes’!” God, I could _hear_ him grinning through the door. Sadly for him, he left a loophole in that setup.

“Come on in, it’s open!” The door opens and Raoul walks in wearing a mild pout and a lovely dark blue suit that stands out against his skin and blonde hair. It looks really good, like he got it tailored too.

“Woooow. Looking sharp there. One might think you’re out to impress a client as opposed to little old me.”  He chuckles, “Some things require a man to dress to impress, and I’m after something far more valuable than money tonight.”

He shoots me a wink and I chuckle. “Well, make yourself at home. Wine glasses are in the cabinet to the left, and if you give me a few minutes I can change to meet the dress code you’ve now set for the evening.”

Shaking his head, he fetched the glasses and my corkscrew as I set the steaks on plates and cover them with lids while I change.

Back in my room, I pull out a dress I hadn’t ever thought I’d wear again. It was a lovely little piece Raoul had bought me back in the day. A beautiful green dress that fit me so perfectly I had to accuse him of measuring me in my sleep. They went very nicely with a cute pair of gold hoop earrings I got from my mother.

He’s not the only one who can enter a room and immediately stop a show. Whoever his tailor is, I hope Raoul pays him well. His suits fit even more perfectly than they did Tiago and outline his shape almost _too_ well. His broad shoulders and strong arms highlighted well by the cut of the material. The top coat tightened around the waist area to show off his regal half-hourglass shape leading down to his firm hips-!

I have to give myself a firm shake before I start something I can’t afford to finish right now. A quick change and just a little bit of makeup later and I’m stepping out in a pair of short heels that match my earrings and Raoul has apparently taken it upon himself to set the plates, wine and light some candles with the overhead lights dimmed. I chuckle, “you realize that atmosphere is supposed to be the host’s responsibility right? When I told you to make yourself at home, taking over dinner prep wasn’t what I had in mind.”

…

I don’t think he’s listening. He’s just staring at me. Flattering as it is, I need to make sure he’s breathing. “...Raoul?... You okay?”

He blinks and swallows, “yes. Yes I’m alright, it’s just… I can’t believe you kept it…”

Oh. He’s surprised I kept the dress after he disappeared on me. I guess that’s fair.

I don’t very well know how to properly answer and I don’t think I actually need to explain why I kept it, so I motion to the chairs instead. “Shall we?”

He takes his seat a moment after I take mine. The food turned out good. The steaks were about medium-well, but still nice and juicy. The potatoes were creamy with only a few small lumps in them and the salad was fresh. Raoul had brought some red wine over for the steak and it was one I remember he’d gotten me into.

After a minute or so to try the food, I decided it was too quiet. “So, how did that meeting go? You were closing a deal right?”

Raoul clears his throat, “yes, that’s right. I finished my end and we were simply exchanging product so to speak. Nothing really exciting. I’ve worked with him before, so we have a mutual understanding. He always pays in full and on time and I deliver my end in kind.”

I grin. “Repeat customers are good for any business.” He swallows a sip of his wine, “indeed.”

Wonder how much I can get out of him while we’re on the subject…

“So, do you only do general IT kind of work? I know you’re a programmer, but that has a lot of applications.”

He glances up at me and chuckles, “my work is more rounded. Security systems, tracking programs, a virus now and then, etc.” Sounds like some pretty advanced stuff. “That’s pretty cool. How many employees do you have to help you?”

“Actually, most of the people I work with, I pay to help me move around undetected by MI6. Though there are a few contacts I have who build systems to test my programs and make sure they work properly before sending to the client.”

Well, now that’s surprising. A company where he’s really the only employee? “You really don’t have anyone else to take some of the workload?”

He shakes his head, shrugging. “A lot of my work is through private investors. Very rich people with a lot of money they can put towards an un-hackable home security system and the like.”

Wow… he must be getting paid really well if he can afford such a nice car on freelance work alone.

Raoul quickly changes the subject back to me and how my workday finished up. I oblige him, but I keep bouncing back to the sort of work he must be able to do to keep up business and all this fancy stuff going on that Tiago could never have afforded on his old government salary.

Nevertheless, I oblige him and answer his questions. I’m almost done with my food as he goes to refill my wine glass. “Careful, Raoul. You know I’m not responsible for myself after two, but thank you.” I take my now full glass and take a sip.

Across the table, he chuckles as he refills his own glass. “I _do_ know that. That’s why I’m refilling it.” I give him a judgmental look over the lip of my glass as he grins at me. “Punk.”

Chuckling, he takes a big sip of his wine.

We finish dinner and go about cleaning up together. He stands very close the whole time and goes out of his way to make sure our hands touch as we clean.

Taking our wine, we move to the couch and he takes a seat at one end while I go put on a movie.

When I join him on the couch, I’m sitting at the other end of it from him, and he gives me a look that says ‘really?’ and I just grin at him. “What?” My voice may sound innocent, but I’m not fooling him as I see his eyes narrow.

He sits back though and we drink our wine. As the movie goes on, he inches closer and closer to me. Finishing his wine, he sets it on the table and moves until his leg is pressed against mine. “Can I help you with something,” I ask him with a raised eyebrow.

“I just wanted to ask if you have any objections to cuddling.” Smiling, I set my wine on the table and shift to lean against him. He sets his arm around me and I’m quickly reminded of how much bigger he is than me. His arm is rather thick and he’s very warm.

The movie goes on and I eventually decide I’m done with my wine and let him have the rest when he asks. I can handle a good amount, but not as much as him and this is pretty strong wine.

At some point in the movie, he starts to rub his hand over my arm. It feels nice. Keeping me warm. Reminds me of curling up in a ball on the couch under a blanket in the winter with him. He was rarely able to make it for Christmas, but he did manage some time in the winter to visit me. Even when he couldn’t come to Christmas, he always made sure I got a Christmas present. Can’t even remember how many times my family asked me to introduce him and how judgy they got when I told them he couldn’t make it. They’d come up with all the goodies. Maybe he’s married. Maybe he’s seeing someone else. If he really loved you, he’d come anyway. The list goes on.

He got up once during the movie to refill his glass and clean up mine before coming back over to join me. 

When the movie was over, I got up and stretched myself out. “Want me to walk you down?... Raoul?” When he didn’t answer, I look back and see him thinking about something.

“Raoul?” He looks up at me, “hm? Oh, I’m sorry. Just got a little distracted there.” He goes to stand up and pauses, blinking and looking like he was trying to keep balanced. “Raoul? Are you okay?”

Clearing his throat, he smiles, “yes, just a little vertigo. I’m alright.”

...I’m not buying it. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”

He takes a moment to consider. I have seen him when he’s had too much to drive. He doesn’t need to be wasted to be at that point either. He looks pretty close to it right now.

Raoul opens his mouth to answer, but pauses at my already skeptical look and sighs, “no. Probably not… Perhaps… I could stay here tonight?”

...That little _punk_! Did he have that much wine on purpose?!

Oh no… He’s got his begging eyes on. I never had a defense for them before, and I’m way out of practice on fighting them.

I wouldn’t go to his place, so now he’s making an excuse to stay at mine. The clever bastard…

...This could mean trouble...


	12. Naughty Thoughts and Dirty Sheets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!! This is a long one, and I recommend reading in private *smirks*
> 
> This is a Christmas present for all you lovely people from Raoul Silva <3
> 
> Special thanks to my sister for helping with editing so I could finish this in time for Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***I wouldn’t go to his place, so now he’s making an excuse to stay at mine. The clever bastard…
> 
> ...This could mean trouble…***

I take a moment to stare at him, gauging his trustworthiness which isn’t easy.

How times have changed. I used to run to the door and jump in his arms whenever I heard him calling from the entryway and now… Now I’m fighting the urge to let him even stay the night, nevermind sleep with me.

“(Y/N?) Is something wrong?” The son of a bitch is still wearing that cute begging look too.

I sigh, “it is safer and cheaper for you to stay the night… but why don’t I trust you?”

He smiles a little, “depends on what it is you don’t trust me to do.”

“Be a gentleman.”

He immediately looks offended in a mock sort of way, “how dare you! I have always been a gentleman to you. Or…”

Raoul gets a predatory look in his eyes and slinks closer to me very slowly, voice deepening with every word, “have you forgotten all our cold nights, warming each other under the sheets?”

I have to take a deep breath and clear my throat to keep my voice from squeaking and my knees from shaking. “I haven’t forgotten. What I mean is that I don’t trust you not to try something if you spend the night and you  _ know _ that’s what I meant.”

He grins, “ahh, that. Of course. Well I assume the reason you don’t trust me there is because I’m not very trustworthy. What man could resist offering himself when there’s such a goddess standing within arms reach. Not to mention, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to hold a woman.”

Oh no, Raoul is making those eyes again. I reach my hand up to cover his eyes. “I decide who I give my body to and when. Just because you have a reputation with me and you’re here doesn’t mean you can stroll into the henhouse anytime you want. In short, the answer is nOooo.”

His mouth turns downward and he clicks his tongue. I remove my hand and his eyes narrow at my victorious smile. He just stares at me for a moment and finally breaks the silence. “...Would you mind me using your shower before we turn in, then? It has been a long day.”

“Let me brush my teeth first, then yes.” I head back to my room and can feel his eyes on me as I go, but I don’t pay it much mind.

Once I’m done, I let him in and he disappears to the bathroom. This is my old apartment, so he knows where I keep things. I may even have some of Sam’s old shampoo and conditioners in there, but I don’t know. Besides, Tiago used to use whatever I happened to have or stopped at the store on his way to visit me. Since he always flew between here and Hong Kong, he couldn’t bring his own stuff.

The man is  _ very  _ secure in his masculinity. Even took me dress-shopping once or twice. Said it was like a private fashion show where he could see only his favorite model and picture her naked without it really being indecent. I’d smacked his arm for that one a few times, more out of principle than actually being offended though.

But, like many other times since he invited himself into my apartment and revealed he was alive, he doesn’t need to know that.

Quickly changing into a simple soft t-shirt and shorts, I head out to the living room with a spare pillow and set it up for Raoul to sleep on.

He’s still in the shower as I head back to my room and slide under the covers. I drift off to sleep to the sound of the water running in the bathroom.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

I wake up some time later, not at all sure why and I’m not really awake either.

Did a noise wake me?... It’s nowhere near light out… Not even 1 am yet. What woke me?

I feel no pain so my body isn’t screaming over an emergency… What could’ve-?

I pause when I feel something behind me and it takes me a moment before I figure out what it is. Unamused, I click my tongue, turn on the light and prop myself up on my arms.

And, go figure, Raoul is in my bed. Fast asleep too.

Well... that’s just won’t do…

“Raoul?... Ra _ oul _ _! _ ...”

...Nothing. Tapping the shoulder?... Nope…

Yeah, no. Not happening.

Sighing, I grab the pillow from behind me and smack him with it, “wake up!”

He grunts, flinching and blinking hard. He looks around groggily and blinks against the light, face brightening in his signature smug fashion as he sees my unamused face.

Propping himself up on his elbow, he smiles, “hello there, beautiful. Something on your mind?”

… Still not amused… “Raoul? What are you doing? I fixed up the couch for you to sleep on.”

His grin widens, “I’m sure. However, you neglected to order me to sleep there, so I’ve made my camp here for the night.”

I continue to give him my flattest, most unamused look I can muster.

“... You have little argument, (Y/N). You didn’t actually say where I was and was not allowed to sleep.”

“...You’re such an ass.”

“Sticks and stones, darling. Call me whatever name you desire, so long as I’m yours, I will bear it with pride.”

It’s almost annoying how genuinely he said that, then I realize something as I notice his lack of a shirt. “...Raoul? Are you...naked?”

His smile widens to a grin. “Why? Hoping to sneak a peak? There’s no need for that. If you want an eyeful, it’s  _ more _ than yours.”

I roll my eyes. “God, you’re exhausting. I mean you really have  _ some nerve _ just inviting yourself-AHH!! RAOUL!”

In the middle of my talking, he’d yanked the covers back and it turned out I was right. He was nude. I just barely manage to pull the covers down to hide him again as I glare at him. It doesn’t help that’s he’s grinning at the no-doubt-present blush on my cheeks.

“UGH! That’s it!  _ I’ll  _ sleep on the couch since you insist on being insufferable.” As I’m throwing my legs off the bed, I’m pulled back, hard.

“Raoul! Let go!” Damn. I don’t remember Tiago being  _ this  _ strong…

“No! I have been incredibly patient with you, but now I’d like some answers.”

That makes me pause. “Wait… what? What answers?”

In that moment, I’m pulled back on the bed fully and Raoul is all but laying on me, strong arms holding me down.

He heaved a sigh. “Since I returned, I saw that look in your eye… You’ve been denying it at every turn and fighting me for days with that look lingering in your eyes…”

“What are you talking about? What look?” This was quickly getting annoying.

“...You missed me. You did and still do. You miss  _ us _ . What we used to have those years ago… Now you obviously made attempts to move on. I don’t expect your pride to let you divulge anything but ask yourself… Did any of them- _ any _ of them, make you feel the way I did? How many were able to make you feel safe, and loved and respected? How many were able to curl your toes with nothing but a kiss? How many of them would travel halfway around the world the moment he got even 2 days to himself just to see you smile at him in person?... For me, there’s been no one since you. Because I  _ never _ dumped you.”

Wow… That’s about the closest thing I’ve ever heard to a fairy-tail caliber declaration of love…

I open and close my mouth rather idiotically as he continues. His face is crestfallen as he lowers himself to press against me a little.

“My dear… I truly mean that… there has been  _ no one _ since you...Some made attempts to seduce me for a night, even back before we were torn apart, but they couldn’t match you… This question, I do ask an answer for… Why do you push me away when I offer myself to you? What are you so afraid of?”

...How can I even answer that…I don’t even know if I can bring myself to admit I’m scared of being hurt again. Of giving him so much of myself that I become dead to the world if he disappears again. That I neglect my body and my work in favor of nurturing the painful wounds he’ll leave in me again…

I gasp as a kiss rouses me from my thoughts, but it’s not on the lips. Lifting my head, I have only just enough time before he does it again, and again, deeper, more frequent and most importantly, hungrier…

A soft moan escapes me as Raoul devours my throat. I curse myself for how obviously turned-on I sound as he does it again.

“R-Raoul…! C-could you-... Please-! J-just a- I need a-...”

I gasp as he nips on the soft, sensitive skin and growls. Like he  _ actually  _ growls! Not fair! He  _ knows  _ I love that!!

“ _ Answer my question! _ ”

Dammit. At this rate there won’t be an answer. “I-I…” Thinking is becoming hard…

“I’m not… I’m not afraid…”

He growls again and I can’t even hold myself up anymore as he pushes me back down on my back and my fingers tangle in his hair.

He’s more aggressive now. I can’t fight him when he does this. Raoul’s hands are everywhere, moving us as he slides my clothes off under the covers and pulls us towards the middle of the bed.

This is how he gets when he’s excited and finally gets what he wants. He won’t give anyone the chance to take it from him.

Raoul’s hands slide down my sides, waist and hips possessively. Like he’s holding a priceless glass treasure. He must have the perfect grip to keep from crushing me without any risk of dropping me where I’d shatter. It’s an incredible feeling I haven’t had in a long time.

I wrap my arms around him as he kisses his way to my lips, hand sliding under the long t-shirt I wear to bed. I don’t know if he’s realized yet that it’s one of his old ones.

My back tries to arch on reflex as his fingers press against me, one pushing its way inside. His finger is bigger than I remember, but it has been a long time, so perhaps I’m mistaken.

I let out a long moan as he already finds a sensitive spot inside me and starts to rub it vigorously, his thumb sliding up to play with that bundle of nerves. He moves his thumb in a way he used to that once and still does, send sparks up my spine.

My voice is weak and shaky, body screaming for more. “R-Ra _ oul _ …” He growls in my ear, “so wet for me already? I don’t know why you deny it. You missed us. Missed this. Missed  _ me _ .  _ You still want me _ . Just say the word. Say the word and I am  _ yours _ .”

He kisses me again and again, and I barely have any breath to answer. God I hate it when he’s right. I missed him.  _ Badly _ … Doesn’t help that he’s teasing me senseless right now too… I don’t have a choice.

Panting, I finally manage to turn my head away enough to take a deep gulp of air. “Raoul...”

He slows down with his hand and his kisses move to along my neck and I moan a long, low note.

God, this man’s kisses are  _ enchanting _ . Deep, passionate, and incredibly sweet. There’s no question that he’s savoring every moment.

Raoul moves us around a bit, pulling my hips closer to his. In the darkness of the room, only the moonlight lit the room. I could  _ just _ see his face, half-lit by the window and highlighting the contours of his face, hair hanging perfectly to frame his face.

He’s panting a little as he looks down at me with a half smile. “God, you are  _ beautiful _ !” I chuckle, “so are you… Raoul? You didn’t think to bring a condom when you hatched this plan did you?”

I trust him immensely, but there is one thing I can’t help but wonder if it’s changed or not about him. He pauses and sighs. “...I did not…”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. You’re lucky I’m on birth control cause you  _ always _ forget the condom.” He looks down at me,  _ quite  _ unamused. Before he can retort, I grab his cheeks and pull him down for a kiss. Something is off though. Something odd about the left side of his face under my right hand.

I pat the area gently and pull back a bit. “Raoul? What is-MMH!” He pulls me back in for another kiss to interrupt me and I just melt into it. He holds it for so long that I struggle to breathe and hold him close.

Thankfully, he lets me go, and as I’m laying back, trying to catch my breath, he decides to get started. He’s definitely bigger than I remember, and the stretch is incredible. I cling to him tightly, as he pushes his manhood deeper.

At the edge of my thoughts I can hear him moaning. I inhale sharply as he rolls his hips. Raoul was by no means small, but was in fact quite… gifted.

He starts to move his hips, slowly and steadily at first. That’s one of the great things about Raoul, being in bed isn’t just fucking. When he gets in bed, it’s to make love, and the best part… he’s  _ really _ good at it.

His movements are amazing. I’m not about to tell him cause then I’ll never hear the end of it, but the first guys after he disappeared that I was with… to say that they didn’t measure up would be an understatement in a number of ways.

Size means very little if they at least know what they’re doing in the bedroom. Maybe Tiago had been so skilled that it ruined other men for me, but they could never satisfy me. Worst part was that they never seemed to realize that I’d be up long after them finishing myself off after those guys had gone to sleep.

Not Raoul though. Tiago always knew how to talk and tease until I couldn’t even move. Based on what I’ve seen so far, that still holds true.

It’s only a few minutes before he’s picked a rhythm. By now, my neck is stinging from the string of hickeys he’s placed along my neck and collarbone. He’s currently working on one right under my ear.

I let out a moan between pants as he bites down on the skin. “Ah! Raoul! Easy!... Ha-Haven’t you made enough of those yet?...” He chuckles darkly, “nooo, no no. That would be too easy to cover. I will not stop, until our love is impossible to hide.” I can  _ hear _ the smirk on his face from here.

As I’m rolling my eyes and heave a sigh, he bucks his hips hard and my whole body clings to him tightly. “AAaahh! Oh God! Raoul! Aaahhhh!”

My eyes can barely stay open as his pace picks up to a higher gear. His breathing sounds like a wild beast on an intense chase. I reach up and wrap my arms around his back as far as they will go, which isn’t that far.

I can feel my body clenching around him as his hips move in the most amazing way. My head can’t stay up straight against his onslaught and flops back down on the bed, my nails digging into his back so I won’t fall away from him.

Above me, I hear chuckling and groaning. “Oooohhh…  _ Now _ you are enjoying yourself! You still like to scratch when you get all worked up, hm? Scratch away, darling! I will wear them like battle scars.” His voice had a deep, wonderful purr to it that made me moan.

Raoul moves to meet my eyes and grins, “you’re getting close.”

I let out a huff. He can be so cocky sometimes. “Oh? And just  _ how _ do you know that?”

He laughs, “because I know you, and I never forgot how you act when you’re close. Not even after all this time.”

“Yeah. Right… Can we just shut up and-...What the  **_hell_ ** ?! Why the fuck did you  _ stop _ ?!?”

The asshole has now stopped moving and is holding my hips firmly and tightly so I can’t move them. “Because I am right. You wouldn’t be so mad if you weren’t so close to coming right now.”

I stare at him like he just started talking backwards. “No. I’m upset because you are trying to stop in the middle of  **_sex_ ** !! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Of course, the cheeky bastard is still grinning. “Are you gonna move or not, Raoul?!” He tips his head, hand sliding over my stomach and down towards my hips.

“... … …”

“... **_RAOUL?!_ ** ...”

He hums. There is an ache deep inside my gut, like a tightly wound coil and it was slowly unraveling, but I didn’t want it to. I wanted it to snap, like anyone who does this would. He’s such a prick sometimes.

I gasp loudly as his fingers slide between us and find that bundle of nerves that drive me crazy, pressing it with his thumb and gently rubbing in a slow, steady circle. “...Interesting… You certain I don’t know your body? I seem to know what I’m doing…”

Panting, I try to move my hips into his finger, but his strong grip on my hip bone won’t allow it. I slide my hand down to move his more and he twists it so it covers me, stopping his sinfully delightful fingers to stop mine.

Like any rational woman in my position, I started whining. “Uuuuuuugh! Raoul? Whyyyyyy?”

He’s still grinning. He takes a breath and speaks slowly, but clearly, like he’s intentionally drawing out the moment but carefully picking his words.

“Because, I want something from you. You do not get to come until I get it. That’s why.”

I stare at him blankly, like a dumb fish. “...Seriously!?” At his silence, I groan, “ _ fine _ ! What do you want?!”

He leans over to whisper mere inches from my face, his finger returning to its movements even slower than before.

Our lips are so close that his just graze mine as he speaks, “I want you to hold onto me. To call my name as you once did and tell me you want me here with you tonight…”

My brow furrows. Wait… I… genuinely thought he’d want me to admit he knows me but… he’s back on the me missing him thing… Maybe he just wants to feel… wanted?…

After a moment, I realize I haven’t answered him and give him a nod. “Alright. I can do that…”

His face softens to one of genuine relief and joy, but I don’t get a long look at it before he’s leaning in and giving me one of his passionate, heart-melting kisses. As I promised, I reach up and hold him again, nails catching skin as he finally starts moving again.

This prompted a sharp inhale out of me and I moved my hips with joy to find that he let me move. His fingers press back against that tight bundle of nerves as his hips pick up some more. The coil finally starts to wind itself tighter again.

...It won’t be long now…

Through deep panting in an attempt to keep up with him, I remember his request of me and what I had agreed to.

Sliding a hand into his soft hair, I pull him closer.

“Raoul! I need you. A little more. Please.”

I cannot describe his response. It was like his whole body got lighter and he almost seemed younger somehow.

He presses his finger harder against that bundle of nerves, pinching it and driving me mad.

I let out a scream as that coil snaps hard, unraveling in a rapid explosion.

Everything feels incredibly warm and like nothing in the world could hurt us. It’s a feeling I haven’t really felt in some time. Sure, some of the other guys could get me over that cliff and snap the coil… but not like this…

They didn’t make me feel as soft and warm and safe as it does when I’m with him.

We float in a combined high for some time. He’s so big and warm. A wall of hard muscle.

As I start to wake up from it, I feel Raoul climbing out of bed. “Mmmhh… Where are you going?” It wasn’t like him to not want to cuddle, at least from what I remember.

He comes back in with a washcloth from the bathroom. “I’m not  _ going  _ anywhere. I simply stepped away to get something for you.”

He cleans up the mess he made and I roll onto my side. I glance at the clock and groan. I have to be up for work in a few hours. Now I’ll have to be up early just to put on extra makeup for the bags I’ll have under my eyes and to figure out how best to cover all these hickeys…

I feel the bed dip and shift as Raoul climbs back under the covers. I didn’t feel like searching for what he did with my underwear and pajama bottoms. Not now anyway.

Raoul slid right up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, gently sliding me over the sheets until my back was flush against his front. He sighs. It’s a satisfied sigh, like when you finish a long project and you’re glad to be starting something new.

“Proud of yourself are you?” He chuckles, “as a matter of fact, I am. I started forgetting everything about you while we were away. I was holding onto every little detail I could recall of you while we were apart. Now, I have fresh memories to cherish.”

I smile softly. “Raoul?”

“Yes?”

I twist to look at him, “we can do this again, but this was the talkiest sex  _ ever _ . Can you  _ promise _ me that we won’t talk that much again next time?”

He just starts laughing. “Alright. Alright. Next time, there will be less talking.”

“Thank you. Now, I have work in the morning, so how about we sleep?”

“Very well. You sleep love. I will be here when you wake.”


	13. Morning Hijinx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, welcome to 2020 people! Final semester of college and hoping I can make a more fun chapter to follow this (not to say this one isn't fun of course) before the semester ends
> 
> I'm looking forward to what the future holds for these two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***“Very well. You sleep love. I will be here when you wake.”***

I have, that night, what is perhaps the greatest sleep of my life. Peaceful and relaxing.

My dreamless sleep is disturbed by talking somewhere. My eyes groggily open up, confusion surrounding me as I look for the source of it.

I finally register who is talking, but it’s the words that have me mortified. My eyes widen and I try to get up from the bed, only to have Raoul cover my mouth and push me back to the bed. Not hard enough to pin me, but enough to make it clear that I am not allowed to disrupt him.

I stare at him in utter disbelief as he continues. “Yes, I know. It was very sudden though. This is what happens this time of year… Of course. I will see to it that she gets  _ all _ the rest and care that she needs.”

Unbelievable! This guy is actually trying to call me out sick from work!!

He grins at the flat, unamused look I am giving him, blowing me a kiss with a little smirk.

I am… so close to licking his hand that it’s not even funny.

Of course though, the bastard continues talking without consulting me at all.

“You should feel lucky to have her on your staff, sir. Naughty thing is trying to get out of bed as we speak… Yes, I will tell her. Alright, I must go now if I am to get her back to bed before she tries to get dressed. Goodbye.”

He hangs up with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Finally dropping his hand, I grab a pillow and smack him with it. “ _ Raoul _ ! What the hell is wrong with you?! You can’t just  _ do  _ something like that out of nowhere!”

He just chuckles, snatching the pillow from me, “evidently, my dear, I can.” As he leans over the bed to put the pillow back, he kisses my nose and I just glare at him.

Raoul’s idea of a response is to pout. “Ohhh, such a sour look. You will spoil your pretty little face with a stink eye like that.”

“Punk! I am not going along with this nonsense. I’m going to work, because it’s Thursday, I have work, and, most importantly,  _ I am not sick _ !”

I move to slide past him and he just laughs. “Hahaha-Oh-Oh no! No you are  _ not _ ! Come here you!”

I let out a little scream as he pulls me back into his lap on the bed. “Raoul! No! We are  _ not _ doing this! It’s ridiculous!”

The more I try to wiggle out of his arms, the more he laughs and pulls me against him. “You’re ridiculous! We are  _ not  _ teenagers trying to ditch school! Let me go. I am going to work!”

The big jerk just laughs, “well, it’s really too late to be going to work now.”

Something about the way he said that made me pause. I look up at him with suspicion, “...what do you mean by-?” My question cuts off mid-sentence as I catch sight of the clock. It was an hour and a half after I should’ve already clocked in for work.

Huh… I didn’t hear my alarm at all… My eyes look up at him and I give him the  _ biggest _ stink eye I have ever made in my life.

I am fighting screaming as I keep my voice low and even. “Raoul?” He wears an annoyingly-innocent look. “Hm?”

“...Did you turn off my alarm clock and call my boss just to have a day in bed with me?”

He looks up at the ceiling as though he’s thinking about it. “...I did turn off your alarm… and I called your boss… but I wanted a day to spend with you, not a day of intimacy in bed with you… Not to say that I would complain though, if things were to go that direction.”

...God I want to smack him. He is such a brat! This is one of the things about him that I’m not crazy about. This is the kind of stuff he does when he doesn’t get his way. Thing is, he  _ used _ to ask for it first and get turned down  _ before _ he went and did the problem stuff.

He smiles, “oh come now. You’ve been working hard and deserve a break. I have just gotten you an extended weekend. Why are you so sour?”

Of course, I give him an ‘are you kidding’ look.

He clicks his tongue, “come now. You are not being very appreciative of this little gift. You are underpaid and underappreciated at that job and deserve  _ so _ much better.”

At this point, my arms are crossed and I am ignoring him. He’s just trying to make me forgive him. I don’t care what he says, I am not going back to bed with him today.

There’s a pause in his chatter as he decides to switch tactics. Taking my hand with a bit of effort since I tried to keep them crossed, he holds it up to his lips and starts kissing the back of it. Repeatedly. Methodically.

He started with the back of my palm, then switched to kissing each fingernail, going across my hand then down to the first knuckle on each finger, and so on.

It’s hard to stay mad when he does these really old-fashioned romantic things. Wait! No! I told myself I wouldn’t get in bed with him again today. He’s not gonna charm his way back this time.

With great reluctance, I pull my hand from his. Away from the warmth and the soft lips- No! Gotta stay strong. I fold my arms again. He’s not getting anything until I at least get him to admit he was wrong and apologize. I resist looking at his face, but I can picture his pouting, calculating face in my head. He’s trying to figure out what will work since that used to just make me melt like putty… Well, technically it still does, but not when I want to be mad at him… Okay, it used to also work then, but not this time around. Now he has to try something else.

Apparently, that next move is to get handsy. I’m still only wearing the big t-shirt I wore to bed last night, so when his hands slide over my arms, gently downward, I immediately cross my legs. He came to play though, cause those sinful hands slide up under my shirt. I tighten my arms that are still folded in front of me, closer to my body.

This is where him being stronger becomes a problem because he’s able to push my arms away from under my shirt and immediately his hands are on my breasts. Much to my dismay, prying him off is not easy, nor are my attempts working.

I keep my voice as even as possible, my tone as much a warning as I can muster. “ _ Raoul _ … Hands off.”

The shit-eating grin in his voice is audible, maybe even palpable. “I want to, but I can’t. The temptation is… overwhelming.” He gives them a squeeze for emphasis. I clench my jaw to stop a moan from slipping out.

My attempts to get him off start to escalate, finally resulting in me trying to wiggle off his lap entirely. Unfortunately, I realize too late why that was a bad idea. Face to face with his grin, his hand slides between my legs and he immediately finds an angle where his hand basically covers everything. Damn it! With my wiggling, I’d created an opening for a new problem and worse, he could see my face quite clearly when he did it.

“Well well well. This certainly is a precarious situation isn’t it?” The only thing I can think to do is glare at him. “Raoul. This isn’t funny, and it’s not happening. Let. Me. Go.”

I don’t know what I did this time but I apparently looked serious enough for him to finally take the hint. The humor in his eyes finally dies down and he pushes his face into my neck. His hand slides up to my hip instead.

“Why are you angry about this? I just want to show you what you are missing. You shouldn’t be working-”

At that, I lean away from him and stare at his face. “What? What do you mean, I shouldn’t be working?!”

This is genuinely confusing because he’s the one who encouraged me to advance my career. I got a dream job because of him… yes, I may have lost it several years after losing him because the company went under, but I know from experience that he’s not sexist so where is this coming from?

He sighs. “...Because you shouldn’t have to work there… Women do incredible work, especially you, but you are my queen and I do not want you to  _ have _ to work, especially where you are not having fun or being appreciated. You clearly had to change jobs and you are severely underpaid there. You could do  _ so _ much better than this.”

...Okay, yes I miss my old job that I used to love. True, I don’t feel nearly so happy at my current job, but work allows me to be independent.

“I want you to be able to afford things. You live in an apartment, but you should be able to afford a house, and a car, without staying up all night. I want you to be happy and I have seen you happier than this. That’s why I have a problem with you working here.”

I look at him closely, trying to read him. “Raoul. That’s just not how the world works. Yes, I’d like to get paid more and I know  _ some  _ companies aren’t good about equal pay, but this one has a policy on it. They aren’t sexist. Working, and affording to take care of myself empowers me. I don’t want to have to rely on anyone for money.”

He blinks a moment and sighs. “Is it so wrong to want to spoil you though?”

“As long as it’s not because you won’t feel like a man if you don’t, then no. It isn’t wrong if it’s not about your manhood.” He’s quiet for a moment, not sure why, but then he’s chuckling. “Fair enough… Are you still mad?”

With a groan, I shake my head, “no. I’m not… Could you let go? I need to go take a shower.” I was still sitting in his lap.

Pouting, he obliges and I head into the bathroom to clean up from last night. Once the door is locked, I fish out a bottle of pills from the cabinet. More specifically, it’s my birth control pill. Normally, I don’t really need them because my boyfriends all agree to condoms… Raoul apparently just didn’t want to use one last night, not that he gave me a chance to ask him. He used to wear them every time. He must’ve just thought that if he stopped to put one on, I wouldn’t have let him continue… which would not be incorrect.

Once it’s down my throat, I start the water and toss off the shirt I had worn to bed. It’s also the only thing I was able to keep on last night.

The hot water feels amazing as I clean myself up. I still can’t believe I let him get away with crap. Last night and this morning are excellent testaments to that. I’m gonna have to start putting my foot down more firmly from now on to avoid his nonsense getting out of hand.

When I get out of the shower, there’s a wonderful smell that tells me he’s in the kitchen.

Sliding on my robe, making sure I’m covered and getting on some clean underwear to hopefully discourage any nonsense from him, I step out to join him. Fortunately, he’s got pants on, but no shirt. As long as his pants are on though, I can’t complain.

I’m just now realizing that he obviously hadn’t been as drunk as he’d led me to believe last night, considering how awake and alert he’d been when he’d woken me up for midnight adult playtime.

I take a seat at the table as he sets out some omelets. “Feeling better?” He asks with a big grin, which of course translates to ‘are you still mad at me?’

Firstly, I pretend to ignore him as I have some of the omelet. He even remembered what I like in my omelets. Considering the time spent apart, that could almost be considered creepy. From another angle though, it’s incredibly romantic, if bordering on obsessive.

He takes a seat and starts to eat his own breakfast. It’s kinda cute to see his nervous expression. He looks like he may even start pouting. He has done it before. For a man who’s always so confident, it’s sweet and cute to see any vulnerability from him.

“Raoul?” He practically jumps out of his skin, attention pinned on me. “Yes? What is it?”

I fight back a grin. “...I am not mad at you, but do not  _ ever _ do that again unless I actually say something to you first. And if I’m drunk when I do, you have to ignore it. Got it?”

His lips widen into a wide grin, “I understand.”

Now to figure out what to do with my day off...


End file.
